


The Second Kishou

by Razuya



Category: Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul:re
Genre: 7 chapters to be remastered (Chapters 3-9), Blood and Violence, F/F, F/M, Gore, M/M, Multi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Some characters will be important in future chapters, Tags May Change, Yusa x Eto
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:34:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25645873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Razuya/pseuds/Razuya
Summary: "Kill or be killed... Become a CCG Investigator and witness the outside world... Or a faceless V Agent and lurk in the shadows... Tools have no rights... Born as a tool... Die as a tool... Do not speak... Do not ask... Do not complain... Just obey your orders... But in the end... No matter how much we explain... They will never understand... Our wish for a kinder world..."Is this the world Arima wished for? Is Yusa really free or is he walking the same path his predecessor did?
Relationships: Abara Hanbee/Suzuya Juuzou, Fueguchi Hinami/Kirishima Ayato, Higemaru Touma & Hsiao Ching-Li, Higemaru Touma/Yonebayashi Saiko, Hsiao Ching-Li/Yonebayashi Saiko, Mutsuki Tooru/Urie Kuki, Nishino Kimi/Nishio Nishiki
Kudos: 12





	1. Welcome to the Quinx Squad

Back when the TSC was new... the One-Eyed Owl Eto Yoshimura was pardoned for her crimes, Take Hirako left to take care of his grandparents and live a private life, Tooru Mutsuki, Shinsanpei Aura, and Ayumu Hogi didn't join the TSC and chose to serve in a rural branch of CCG, Kuramoto Itou decided to go to a Kansai branch.

The Dragon Orphans were still rampant even after the destruction of the main body of the Dragon. In the past months, Saiko remained at the hospital, being treated. It was slow but successful. Shirazu's sister Haru was also treated successfully, with the payment for her hospitalization is almost paid. The Quinx Squad recieves a new member, a former member of Zero Squad.

"There you are!" An irritated voice startled him. "Come with me we're going to meet with the squad leader."

  
"..." Yusa was interrupted from his thinking but he doesn't even give a reply and comes with Hsiao.

  
"So you're the new member we are going to have." Urie addresses him "Name?"

  
Yusa hesitated a bit but nonetheless he told him his name "Yusa.. Arima..."

Urie flips a file containing information. _Is he related to Kishou Arima? A younger brother?_ Urie observes him carefully as he extends a hand which Yusa grips and shakes _There's something that reminds me of Arima through him ._ _A silent one just like Arima himself._

"Welcome to the Quinx Squad Yusa!!" Everyone greeted him

  
"..." Yusa looked surprised but nonetheless he smiled.

  
"Come, were going out for a whack-a-mole operation"

  
Whack-a-mole was a term that Yusa was completely familiar with, after all he participated in a lot of operations concerning the extermination of ghouls in a certain area. Flashes of memories begin to appear to him while they are on the way to eliminate Dragon Orphans.

Memories of those operations, he could still hear the cries of the ghouls they have slain, Shio enjoying the extermination, Rikai who is always apathetic, Hairu who always boasts that she is really fast, and Arima who is stoic and silent as ever. He was taught to show no mercy to an enemy and aspire to be like Arima, for he is their hope. Yusa would sometimes hesitate but still he made sure to kill the ghouls they were tasked to exterminate.

  
Shio would always talk about things, anything and Rikai would always dismiss him saying it is useless but to no avail since he would continue talking and only one person listens. It was Yusa, he always enjoyed listening to Shio's talks and daydreams about what he hears from him. Shio was always thankful that Yusa listens to him even if the latter was silent and in deep thought.

But now everything has changed, they were dead, Yusa was the only one remaining and it always pained him. Hsiao and Ui suggested to transfer him to Quinx Squad so he wouldn't feel lonely, Take left and Ui became an instructor. Hsiao was the only person who can understand him, after all she was a big sister to him.

  
As they make their way to an area in the 13th ward "..." a lot of Dragon Orphans appeared. Without hesitation Yusa drew his quinque before the squad could even whip out their kagunes and took one down in one swoop. He has improved a lot since Take instructed him how to fight like Arima and he was a quick learner. "..." Yusa charged at another one and cut off its arms cleanly while the rest of the squad use their kagunes to eliminate the others.

_He moves like Arima._ Urie thought as he eliminated the other Dragon Orphans while observing how Yusa fights. _Oh no Saiko's in danger._ "Saiko!" Urie shouted but to his surprise Hsiao was able to save her before he could move. _Hsiao's really fast. I'm proud of her._ Urie smiles "Hige to the right!"

  
"Got it" Higemaru replied as he adjusted the frames of his bikaku kagune and trapped the other Dragon Orphans "You know what to do" he gestures to Hsiao who wraps her kagune around her legs and gives them a hard kick . _Fast as ever._ Hige smirked. He then runs to Saiko who is tired, worried since she was just discharged last week. "Don't force yourself Saiko" 

  
"Saiko's alright Hige" Saiko smiles.

  
As they eliminated the remaining Dragon Orphans in that area "Make sure these things are dead" Urie ordered. Yusa puts the others still alive out of their misery as another memory flashes in his mind. During an operation he saw a ghoul writhe in pain while dying slowly, out of pity he silenced him by stabbing the head. As they make their way back to the TSC...

  
"Fighting..." Yusa muttered silently. He wished to get out of it and do other things like Hirako who left to take care of his grandparents. He then looked at Hsiao who always had a cool and serious face. _Hsiao... what would you do if you were given a chance like Take?_ The squad had gone back to the Chateau while Urie remained at the TSC to talk about matters.

  
"How was he?" Ui asked him while signing some paperwork.

  
"He's like Arima" Urie replied

  
"Well he was trained to be like him" Ui lights a cigarette and smokes "Everyone from Zero Squad was taught to be like Arima"

\--

"Wanna play video games with me Hige?" Saiko suggests.

  
"Sure" Higemaru smiles "Let's lighten up"

  
The Chateau was a place full of life and it reminds Yusa of his time with Arima Squad. He then remembers playing kagome kagome with them while Hsiao shows him around "This place..." he murmurs silently "it's so happy"

  
Hsiao smiled at him as she showed him his room. _See? You won't be alone anymore._ "If you need anything don't be shy to ask" Hsiao cups his cheek and presses her forehead against his and caresses his hair before going downstairs to cook. "Big Sis is here for you" 

  
Yusa settles his things, wearing a sweater and a pair of sweatpants after taking a bath. He opens the lamp on his table and sits down while reading a novel of Sen Takatsuki. After the Dragon War he needed something to cope with the sadness he felt from Shio and Rikai's deaths.

 _How much does Sen Takatsuki or should I say Eto Yoshimura know about the Washuu Clan and V?_ The book he was reading was her last work, King Bileygr "I wonder if this was the world Arima-san wished for..." Yusa muttered silently.

  
He knows that Arima collaborated with Eto against V and the Washuu clan to incite a revolution, and he was one of those who fulfilled Arima's wish by protecting Ken Kaneki and ensuring that humans and ghouls will cooperate. _Your efforts were not in vain Arima-san._ Yusa continues reading the novel

"I really like this... it's really interesting" Yusa remarks. He was too focused in reading the novel he didn't notice that Hsiao was calling him "?!" Yusa snapped back to reality when he felt Hsiao grab his shoulder.

  
"What are you reading?" Hsiao raises an eyebrow but Yusa doesn't answer her. "Dinner's ready" Hsiao gets out of the room and goes downstairs.

  
 _What I'm reading is non of your business._ Yusa turns off the lamp and fixes himself as he goes down.

 _They really are a happy squad._ Yusa remembers going out with the other Zero Squad members to eat melon buns and sweets. _You really cooked a lot of fish..._ he was surprised as he serves himself a bowl of rice, fish and vegetables.

He sits with them and proceeds to eat. _I miss Take's cooking._ Yusa remembers the time when Hirako would cook for them when Arima is away.

_Even Kaneki and Touka-san's cooking._ Yusa remembered a time when Touka was reading a book and Kaneki would assist her in cooking. "?!" A voice snaps him out of his thoughts.

  
"Silent as always" Hsiao puts a hand on his shoulder "These guys have some questions for you"

  
"What are your favorite hobbies?" Saiko started

  
"Fantasizing... and daydreaming aside from training a lot"

  
"Reminds me of Urie-boo who always gets up early to train" Saiko smiled as she remembered drawing Urie for Shirazu and writing muscle-head before pasting it in his room "I even drew him and pasted it in his room"

  
"You drew an ugly guy not me" Urie scowls as he sips some coffee while reading some files.

  
"Can you tell us your secret? You're so fast" Higemaru threw another question.

  
 _Is this an interview?_ "Training... If you want to know my secret then train with me" Yusa simply stated before he continued eating. That was one of the secrets, every time Yusa trains his arms and legs are strapped with weights. He can't tell them that he is a demi-human, that he is a Washuu hybrid.

  
"That's the one thing you slack at Hige" Hsiao teased him "You always slack at trainings"

  
"Genie!" Higemaru stomped his foot but it got worse as Hsiao kept teasing him. "All right I give up"

  
Yusa felt a touch of happinessas he continues eating. _This place is full of life._

But still he missed Hirako as he remembered the words he was told after the battle. _Arima is proud of you Yusa. You've improved a lot and I'm really proud of you._ Yusa took those words deep to his heart.

"?!" he felt a cold touch on his cheek. It was Hsiao holding a can of tomato juice "..." Yusa smiled as he opened the can and takes a drink while Hsiao caresses his dark and fluffy hair.

  
After washing the dishes he lies on the bed while thinking about the Sunlit Garden, the place where they grew up, a cruel and harsh place where children are taught to fight at a young age. Kill or be killed, become a CCG investigator and witness the outside world or a faceless V agent and lurk in the shadows. It didn't matter to others but to him it was a great deal since he wanted to witness the world outside the Sunlit Garden. Yusa took every training seriously, and one day Kaiko took interest in him.

  
 _ **He has the same blood as you Kishou.**_ That was the first time he met Arima and he could remember it like it just happened yesterday. He was a harsh and cold instructor for he didn't give him any time to catch a breath

_**Ghouls won't give you a chance! Keep fighting!** _

Those were Kishou's words everytime Yusa fell on the ground. He did not even complain since they were right, kill or be killed. Yusa kept standing even if his body hurts from Kishou's blows, all of them were tools and no matter how much he tried to land a blow on him Kishou kept blocking, parrying and countering his attacks. He kept attacking till he finally landed a blow... on his abdomen. He wanted to continue but he was tired... Kishou called it a day and Kaiko took him back to his room.

  
He fell asleep after reminiscing and thinking about the Sunlit Garden. It was peaceful for a moment until...

"Shio! Rikai! Where are you? Please tell me where are you? Don't leave me alone!" he was in a dark room... there was no one, only him. Suddenly they appeared in front of him "Shio! Rikai! I am glad! So glad that you guys are alive!" he hugs them "Shio? Rikai? What's the look on your faces?" he sees them pointing at something. He turns around... " **AAAAHHHHH** " Yusa sees Hajime smiling sinisterly as he holds their severed heads.

  
"Can't save them? What will you do now?" Hajime mocks him

  
"SHUT UP!" Yusa draws his quinque and strikes him down " **DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!DIE!** " he chanted it like a mantra as he kept striking Hajime. He sees Ui and Hirako around him who leaves the room "Koori-senpai? Take?"

  
"What's the face little Yusa?" Furuta's signature smirk sickens him 

  
"What are you looking at wimp?!" Hsiao folds her arms

  
"You should be ashamed of your name" Hairu glares at him

  
"You are a waste!" Kaiko sneered

  
" **I'm disappointed in you Yusa** " Arima stabs him with IXA.

  
"?!" Yusa woke up covered in cold sweat. _A nightmare... Yusa_ pinches the bridge of his nose. As he lies down again on the bed "Why?" he clenches his fist. Yusa wanted to cry but he cannot, he had to be strong like Arima despite the pain that is pressing down on him. He kept fantasizing and daydreaming of things that Shio would always tell him so he could forget the nightmare until he fell asleep again.

\--

  
As they make their way to the 24th ward for another whack-a mole operation, he can't stop thinking of Shio and Rikai. They died right before his eyes, he wanted to take vengeance on Hajime for beheading his two friends but Hirako told him to focus on Ui and save his wrath on Hajime for later. "Shio... Rikai..." he muttered silently.

  
Hsiao could sympathize with him since Hairu was important to her. _I know that it is really hard but focus on the operation first wimp!_

Those were the words she wanted to tell him that but she chose not to. Hsiao remembered the first time she saw him in the Garden, he was bullied by others for being silent, always fantasizing and daydreaming. Hsiao thought he wouldn't survive, not until one day... Yusa snapped.

Without hesitation he punched one of the bullies on the nose, took a wooden sword and began to swing his weapon wildly. Two of the bullies were badly beaten, the other two were knocked unconscious and the person he saved for last was the one who he punched on the nose. The child was writhing in pain because his nose was broken but Yusa ignored to hear his cries and he began to beat his whole body. As he was about to hit him on the head Hsiao caught his hand and told him to stop.

  
"WAIT" Urie ordered them to stop "We need to split up so we can eliminate the Dragon Orphans in these area a little bit faster" Hsiao goes with Saiko while Yusa prefers to go alone "Hige we'll go north of here" he gestured to Higemaru. Dragon Orphans are a great threat to the TSC and United Front which is why the Quinx Squad is chosen to do whack-a-mole operations to exterminate them.

  
"We surely get jackpot" Higemaru grins as he whips out his kagune and kills a Dragon Orphan "Oh no that one has a toxin" he exclaimed as the Dragon Orphan he killed unleashed a toxin.

  
"The faster we eliminate them the better" Urie stabs one of the orphans. With the destruction of the main body the production of those that produce toxins have stopped and those that remain have evolved and learned to hide in the shadows. As the remaining Dragon Orphans retreated, a kagune appeared to Urie's surprise yet he managed to evade it. "What the hell?!" To his surprise he saw two men in black hats. "V agents" Urie whips out his kagune.

  
"Looks like we got real trouble here" Higemaru goes to frame 4 "Should we retreat?"

  
"We take these two down." Urie ordered "We can't let them threaten the peace we are trying to achieve." Despite their enhanced skills the V agents they faced proved to be as strong as a CCG Special Class Investigator "Damn it! They are like Kaiko" Urie exclaimed.

  
"Tired already brats?!" the V agent taunted. 

  
"You're not even fit to be an investigator" the other one insulted Higemaru.

  
"Shut the fuck up you black hat!" Higemaru snarled.

  
"Don't let them get on your nerves Hige" Urie reprimanded him.

  
"Urie-boo! Hige!" Saiko and Hsiao appeared.

  
"Look who is here" the V agent continued with his insults "Ching-Li Hsiao and friends. Such a stroke of luck that we will be able to kill this brats"

  
"What are we waiting for?" the other one followed "Time to make some sashimi out of them" he licks his katana and unleashes his kagune.

  
Hsiao wraps her kagune around her legs and proceeds to charge along with Urie while Saiko and Higemaru keep the other one occupied. Urie crosses swords with his kagune while Hsiao takes the opportunity to attack the most vulnerable spot. _I've been thinking of making her the squad leader..._ he ponders as Hsiao connects a roundhouse and axe kick on their opponent's head.

  
"That seriously hurt a lot" the V agent shakes his head

  
"Care for some more?" Hsiao reveals her quinque and begins to launch flurries of punches and kicks. She grabs his arm, breaks it and throws him around "I was just getting started" she cracks her knuckles while Urie watches in awe.

  
" **YOU BITCH!** " her opponent shouts in rage as he charges towards her swinging his katana wildly.

  
"Is this all you got?" the other V agent taunts Saiko and Higemaru "I'm really good at playing tag" he cuts some of Saiko's kagune and unleashes his at Higemaru "Oh I think the blue-haired brat would make a good yakiniku" his sword almost slashes Saiko "and you would be a good dessert" he keeps taunting Higemaru.

  
" **SHUT UP!** " Higemaru kept on chasing his opponent who seems to be playing around "Fight me head on black hat"

  
"You're not even at my level spoiled brat" he keeps on taunting while running from Saiko's kagune "Oh what happened?" he wounded Higemaru's arm "I'll make sure to cut it next time" he utilizes his katana and kagune at the same time "What's the matter brat? Can't even land an attack on me?" he maniacally laughs "What the-"

  
"Got ya" Saiko was able to trap him " **HIGE!** "

  
"All right" Higemaru exclaimed in a victorious tone as he ripped the head and arms of the trapped V agent and stabbed his kakuhou to make sure he won't regenerate. The other one was eliminated by Hsiao "Oh really Genie" he stares at her

  
"Jealous of me Hige?" Hsiao teased "You should train more"

  
"Whatever" Higemaru crossed his arms.

  
"We should head to Yusa's location" Urie ordered as they leave the site.


	2. Fantasizing, Daydreaming, Training, and... Reminiscing?

"The others ran away..." Yusa muttered as he ended the life of the remaining Dragon Orphan in his area. "Time to rendezvous with them... Squad Leader"

  
"What's your situation in there?"

  
"Some of the Dragon Orphans ran away, but I managed to eliminate most of them"

  
"I see. Stay there, we're coming for you"

  
"Understood" Yusa ended the transmission. Suddenly a kagune appeared but he was able to dodge it. " **?!** " Yusa draws his quinque and turns to face his enemy "A V agent!"

  
"Remember me you bastard?" The V agent sneered "I'll make you pay for what you did to my nose" he draws his sword and launches his kagune.

  
Yusa coldly smiled as he dodged his opponent's kagune. "Long time no see... **Ikuno-senpai** " Yusa pulls down the hood of his uniform as he charges and crosses swords with him "Let's settle this once and for all" 

"We shall see Arima-wanna be" Ikuno grins as he blocks Yusa's attacks. rage fills him up as he begins to go on the offensive _I'll prove it! I'm stronger than you!_ "I'll make you regret what you did that day!!! I should be the one who was chosen on that **day**!" 

  
"It's not my fault that Kaiko chose me over you!" Yusa talked back as he kept dodging the swings. "You should just have challenged me to a sword fight if you have a problem with me! You shouldn't have bullied me! You wouldn't have a broken nose in the first place!" Yusa successfully parries a blow and slashes... the hat. _Damn it! I missed!_

  
"SHUT UP!" Ikuno finally snapped and he begins to fight in a berserker state and manages to overpower the younger hybrid. " **HOW DOES THAT FEEL HUH?!** **I'M STRONGER THAN YOU** "

  
Yusa blocked some of the attacks but he needed to put one hand on the dull edge of his quinque, he managed to avoid a slash intended for his neck but he didn't expect a sucker punch to his side. He pushes off his opponent and kicks his jaw, giving him some time to catch his breath.

 _ **Ghouls won't give you a chance!**_ Arima's words ringed in his ears again as adrenaline kicks in. Yusa kept attacking him, panting as his opponent kept blocking his attacks. _NOW!_ Yusa slashes his opponent's chest and manages to wound the right arm but to his surprise it only left a few incisions that healed quickly.

  
"That's not enough!" The Special Investigator laughed.

  
"..." Yusa lets out an exhale as he tightened his grip on his quinque. He was hesitating which is why he was being overpowered by his rival, a few breaths and in the blink of an eye they crossed swords again, but this time Yusa has the upper hand. He kept striking while looking for openings. "Whoa!" Yusa managed to avoid another attack intended for his neck but a kagune grabbed his leg.

 _ **Calm down!**_ Yusa managed to cut off the kagune grabbing his leg but in the heat of the moment he saw his opponent jump to attack him.

  
" **Got ya!** "

  
"I don't think so..." Yusa slashed Ikuno's legs.

" **IMPOSSIBLE!! HOW COULD THIS- AAACCCKK!!!** " Before he could even finish speaking Yusa drove the quinque into his eye, destroying it completely and piercing a part of the brain. " **GRRRR!! AAAARRRGGGHHHH!!** " The pain drove him insane that it made him fight worse than a berserker. " **Kill!Kill!Kill!Kill!Kill!Kill!Kill!Kill!** " Ikuno kept chanting the word like a mantra as he kept swinging his sword violently aside from the repeated kagune strikes.

  
"I'll put you out of your misery..." Yusa began by cutting one of the arms while dodging the kagune strikes. Taking the other quinque, he threw it at his opponent, hitting the kagune and rendering it useless. Yusa sprinted towards his opponent, slashing him continuously so he wouldn't regenerate. The regeneration can't keep up with the incisions inflicted by Yusa.

As his opponent fell to his knees "Farewell... Ikuno..." Yusa impaled his head. To make sure he was dead, Yusa stabbed the part of the body where the kakuhou is located. "Farewell..." Yusa whispered as he closed the eyes before sheathing his quinque. "Their taking so long... I guess a nap would do" Yusa closed his eyes. As he was about to fall asleep Yusa drew his quinque as he felt a chill down his spine.

  
"Whoa! Easy... It's us" Hsiao dodged Yusa's attack who in return sheathes his quinque. "What happened to you? Why are you covered in blood?"

  
"Oh!" Yusa looked at his trench coat drenched in dried blood, his hair and a part of his face were also drenched. "A V agent... I killed him..."

  
Urie inspected the dead V agent's body "Hmmm. I'm surprised you were able to handle him alone"

  
"Actually... He was a Special Investigator of V... One of Kaiko's underlings"

  
" **?!** " Did they hear just right? Special Investigators from V were known to be superior than most of CCG's Special Class Investigators. _He was really trained to be like Arima..._ Urie stood up "I see. Hsiao! You're in charge of the squad! I'm going to report to the higher-ups" and took his leave, leaving Hsiao in charge of the squad.

  
"Come on! Let's go back to the Chateau" Hsiao urged them

Yusa took a long bath, thouroughly cleaning his hair, face, hands, everything. He lets out a relieved sigh as the cold water rinsed the soap on his body. "I guess I'll train later." The young Arima sat down on a chair after wearing a tracksuit. "I wish we can find a cure." He opens the last page he read.

"Did Arima-san told Eto about the Washuu? Or she figured it out by herself? Well nonetheless I am getting on the best part of this" Yusa smiled as he kept reading King Bileygr "Nameless started a revolution in here, just like how Kaneki did when he formed Goat" Yusa kept reading till...

"Oh!" He closed the book and turned off his timer. It was time to train. Going down to the first floor, with wooden sword in hand and weights strapped on his arms and legs. _Time for some warm-up!_ Yusa started swinging his sword, utilizing techniques he learned from the Garden, Arima, Kaiko, and Hirako. He always trained seriously so he can perfect the techniques taught to him, aside from his swordsmanship.

  
"Whoo!" Yusa wiped some of the sweat on his face. Good thing he was wearing his training gloves or else the wooden sword would have slipped from his hand, checking his timer "I've been doing this for more than an hour..." Yusa remarked before taking off the strapped weights "?! Big Sis..."

  
"Wanna spar with me?" Hsiao suggested

  
"I don't mind at all... Wait a bit..." Yusa replied as he puts the strapped weights on the corner. Taking a deep breath, Yusa attacked her the moment he exhaled.

  
Hsiao kept dodging his strikes while looking for openings and blindspots. Despite her physical capabilities enhanced to a greater degree by the Quinx Surgery, Yusa's skills, speed and technique somehow reminds her of Kishou Arima. _You really are an Arima!_ _But I wonder what would happen if I do this!_ Hsiao grinned and grabs his arm, wrenching the sword away from his hand. "HAH!" Hsiao launches a kick but missed him.

  
 _Bare-handed? Alright then..._ Yusa backs away a few steps and presses slowly against her, checking if she would attack him or not. _NOW!_ He decided to strike first, launching flurries of punches and kicks.

Hsiao responded by deflecting his attacks. Hand to hand combat was her specialty but she was surprised that Yusa managed to keep up with her fighting bare-handed. "..." Yusa lets out an exhale after trading blows with her, feinting a kick, Hsiao fell for it as Yusa slid past her and grabs his sword.

  
"Garden alumnis are really cool aren't they?" Higemaru remarked while watching them "I wish I was talented like those two."

  
"How about we play videogames Hige?" Saiko suggested to lighten and cheer him up.

  
"That might be a good idea!" Higemaru agreed and goes upstairs with Saiko.

  
"I'm back" Urie announced as he opened the door. _OH!_ Urie saw Hsiao and Yusa in the middle of training. "So this is how Garden alumnis spar..." _Swift and silent!_ Urie noted before going upstairs to drink coffee.

  
Yusa had the upper hand. He gave Hsiao no time to counter and he saw an opportunity, feinting an attack, Yusa pinned her down and pointed the wooden sword at her neck. Panting, Yusa withdrew from her as he tried to catch his breath. Extending his hand to help her stand up, Hsiao grabbed it... but to his surprise he fell on the ground with Hsiao pinning him down.

  
"Got ya" Hsiao smirked but she was impressed of his vast improvement as she helps him stand up. "You've gotten even faster than before. But I've never thought you would fall for that feint" Hsiao caressed his hair "Feel free to spar with me anytime." 

  
"Ok..." Yusa muttered silently as he took his weights and goes upstairs to cool down. After resting a bit, he took a shower. "A shower after taking a rest from training really feels good" He smiled as the cold water ran through his skin.

Everything seemed fine to him, except that Shio and Rikai are dead. Arima, Hairu, and Furuta were dead too. Take left. Hsiao was the only person he was close to in the Chateau. After eating dinner and brushing his teeth, Yusa lied on the bed thinking about things. Suddenly, someone came into his mind "Eto Yoshimura..."

But why her? Yusa always thinks about a lot of things but once something sticks onto his mind, anything, he can't stop thinking about it.

_It was the day of Eto's trial, Yusa was just going to drink some water after he finished reading Dear Kafka when he saw her sitting alone. She was beautiful, he can't help but gaze at her. He snapped back to reality when he saw her lawyer. After drinking a glass of water, Yusa decided to watch the trial outside, through a window._

_Inside the room were Itsuki Marude, Kiyoko Aura, Ken Kaneki, Kazuichi Banjou, Shuu Tsukiyama, Koori Ui, and Taishi Fura. But his focus was shifted to her, and through the whole trial he kept looking at her. When the trial ended, Yusa already_ _thought about excuses he would say in case he gets caught. One by one they get out of the room but no one noticed him... except one._

_"?!" Why is she smiling at me? What do I do? Eto was slowly walking towards him and the next thing he knew, she was signing an autograph on the copy of Dear Kafka "..."_

  
_"How many of my works have you read already?" Eto asked him after signing an autograph_

  
_"Almost all except one... King Bileygr..." Yusa reluctantly replied as he took the book_

  
_"Hmmm..." Eto leaned closer "Here!"_

  
_"?!" Are you serious? Despite his stoic demeanor, his eyes were filled with bewilderment when he saw her giving him a copy of King Bileygr "..." Yusa wanted to say it but he can't. The words were stuck in his mouth._

  
_"Just take it Yusa" Eto insisted_

  
_"?! How did you know my name?" Yusa looked surprised as he took the copy of King Bileygr_

  
_"You looked like Kishou..." Eto replied before leaving. "Bye Yusa-kun"_

  
Reminiscing that memory made Yusa blush while feeling a touch of euphoria. However it was cut short when he was hit by a sense of bewilderment. "I wonder why she gave it to me..." Yusa turned off the light before falling asleep.

\--

"Where am I?" Yusa opened his eyes "Wait... this place is..." He was wearing a kimono and hakama. "The Sunlit Garden..." The young garden alumni felt someone tap his shoulder. "Shio! Rikai! Hairu! Arima-san! Furuta!" Furuta and Arima are also wearing a kimono and hakama while the other three wear yukatas "I'm so glad to see you guys! I miss playing kagome kagome with you!"

  
"Yusa... you shouldn't be here" Arima wore a sad expression on his face as he caresses Yusa's hair.

  
"But-"

  
"Think about Genie little Yusa!" Furuta cuts in and folds his arms. 

  
"Your dreams and wishes." Hairu follows. "I know that you really wanted to see us just like Hsiao and Koori. Will you please look after them for me?"

  
"Don't worry" Shio comforts him and gives him words of encouragement. "We'll always be watching you. You want to learn a lot about the world right? Fight for it!"

  
"We won't leave you" Rikai follows and jabs Yusa's arm

  
"Then I guess I have to go. Goodbye..." Yusa hugs them and looks at them one more time before he started running. He kept running towards the exit but numerous V agents appeared before him. "Kaiko! Ikuno!" Yusa realized he was wearing his uniform again and he draws his quinque. "Looks like I got to fight my way through..." Despite being surrounded many fell by his blade but they just kept coming until... " **HA!** " he blocked Kaiko's attack and dodged another attack.

  
"What's the matter kid?" Kaiko taunted him as he kept attacking Yusa

  
"Fuck off!" Yusa slashes Kaiko's face and stabs his senpai's throat as he begins to run towards the exit. "This should buy me some time but still... there's too many of them!" Yusa keeps killing the V agents in his way.

" **WOAH!** " Thankfully he managed to dodge a V agent's attack on his neck. "Fighting..." Yusa muttered as he kept killing every V agent who would get in his way. "Damn it!" All of the V agents he killed stood up again, kakugans glowing "There's no way to end them" He pants as he was surrounded again

_**Keep fighting!** _

"Understood... Arima-san" he proceeds to kill the V agents again until... his weapon broke. "My quinque..." Yusa gritted his teeth but he saw something somewhere around the room. 

_A guitar case? What does it contain?_ Yusa runs towards it, dodging every attack from V agents. " **HAH!** " He managed to slide past his enemies and opens the case. "This is..." _Yukimura 1/3._ He throws his broken quinque and activates Yukimura 1/3. "Arima-san... thank you..." Yusa dual wields it and tosses his trench coat, revealing a black combat suit.

  
"Things just got interesting" Kaiko grinned as he activated his Owl quinque and continues taunting him. "Come at me then kid" Yusa charges forward, killing everyone in his sight until only he and Kaiko remained in the room. "Impressive! You managed to kill every V agent I sent after you" Kaiko sneered and attacks Yusa.

"But I wonder if you're strong enough to kill me" Kaiko unleashes his kagune and fires ukaku projectiles from his quinque "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" he kept attacking him, combining his swordsmanship with his kagune. He proved to be a really powerful opponent. "What's the matter? Tired already?" Kaiko kept taunting him.

  
Yusa stood up glaring at the older man as he tightens his grip on the quinque. "I'll take you down here" They kept fighting till he found an opening and used that opportunity to cut off Kaiko's arm. Before Kaiko could react his other arm was cut off too. "Time for some sashimi" Yusa begins to slash him, limbs flying, blood splattering, he saved the head for last, slashing it in half then stabbing it. "It's over" He looks at Kaiko's dismembered body.

Yusa runs towards the Garden's exit he was almost near it but it was closing. "Have to get out of here! HYAH" In desperation, Yusa made a long jump and he was able to get out of the Garden, rolling as he lands. "What is this place?" Yusa observes his surroundings and sheathes his quinque.

  
"Hello Yusa-kun" A playful voice greets him "Come with me. I'll show you the way." With no hesitation he took her hand as they walk together. It was a long walk but he didn't seem to be tired or bored... he kept looking at her. "Wanna play a game with me?" Eto suggests as she lets go of him. "Chase me!" Eto playfully giggles as she ran towards the stairs.

  
"She's fast" Yusa begins to chase after her. "Wait where is she?" Eto suddenly disappeared from his sight but nonetheless he kept running to the top. When he reached the top a marvelous sight catches him off-guard. "Woah it's so bright and warm here! The view here is so beautiful..." Yusa remarked. But he soon fell to the ground.

  
"Checkmate" Eto playfully giggled as she tackled Yusa. "I feel so happy with you. I love you Yusa-kun" She cups his cheeks and kisses him.

\--

  
"?!" Yusa woke up from his dream and touches his lips. "It felt... so... real..."


	3. A Vessel to be Filled

"Oh would you look at her!" Tsukiyama remarked after seeing Kaneki and Touka's child "So what's her name?"

  
"Her name is Ichika" Kaneki replied

  
"Oh! What a beautiful name!" Tsukiyama's eyes widened, a genuine smile forming on his lips "Nice to meet you, Ichika. Uncle Shuu's gonna spoil you a lot"

  
Kimi and Nishiki entered the room "How are you feeling Touka?" she asked her

  
"I feel much better now" Touka smiled and lets out a chuckle "I never thought that childbirth would hurt that much" 

  
"Oi Tsukiyama!" Nishiki folds his arms "Don't you dare do something funny on the kid"

  
"No way!" Tsukiyama extends his hand waving his index finger while carrying Ichika with one hand "I'm going to spoil this adorable little princess"

  
"Oneechan!" Hinami entered the room along with Ayato "Is it a girl or a boy?"

  
"A girl" Touka replied while looking at the pair

  
"Hah! I win" Hinami jumped like a little kid while Ayato holds his head

  
Touka can't help but laugh when she learned that Ayato lost a bet against Hinami "So what's the consequence you're going to give him?"

  
"I don't know..." Hinami rubs her chin

  
An idea formed on Nishiki's mind, leaning a little bit closer to Ayato "Hey! Do you have a crush on Hinami?"

  
"?! Wh-What are you talking about four eyes?" Ayato scowled, a blush forming on his face

  
"Look who's blushing" Tsukiyama snickered

  
"Shut up you... you..." Ayato can't think of names to call Tsukiyama

  
"You're blushing harder" Tsukiyama continued to tease him

  
"Come on Ayato just admit it" Hide joined in, if he wasn't wearing a smiley mask Ayato would be much more annoyed on his smirk _(You're lucky I'm wearing a mask)_ Hide laughed internally while the other two kept teasing the tsundere rabbit.

  
_(Aaahh I think I know)_ "Hinami" Touka gestured to her to come closer "I'll be the one to give the consequence to Ayato" she smirked

  
"I don't mind at all Oneechan" Hinami agreed without realizing their intentions

  
"So Ayato, as consequence for losing to Hinami" Touka started "You'll have to answer this question"

  
"A question?"

  
"Do you like Hinami or not?" Touka grinned

  
Ayato suddenly felt anxious _(I'm going to answer that... in front of everyone?!)_ his hands were sweaty and shaking, he doesn't even know what to say "..." trying to muster up some courage to speak "I... I..." just thinking about her made him redder than a tomato "I DON'T KNOW!" the tsundere rabbit ran out of the room to hide his embarassment.

"Heh! He should have seen his face" Touka and the others laughed "Hinami...?"

  
"Does Ayato like me?" Hinami asked her

  
"Oh you think my little brother doesn't like you? He always talks about you whenever he visits :re alone" Touka smirked "Hinami...?" but the fun she was having turned into worry "Is everything all right?" when she saw Hinami in a deep state of thinking. Suddenly without saying anything, Hinami ran outside the room. "Oi Hinami!"

  
"Give them some time Touka" Nishiki fixed his glasses "Those two love birds are going to find their way"

  
"Poor Ayato-kun" Kaneki scratches his hair "Well I guess-"

  
"MAMAN!" Saiko pushed the door "Is it a boy or a girl?"

  
"Saiko-chan" a smile formed on Kaneki's face

  
"A bouncing baby princess!" Tsukiyama replied

  
"She looks cute" Hsiao looks at Ichika "So what's her name?"

  
"Ichika" Kaneki replied

  
"Maman's wife, can I hold her?" Saiko blinks her eyes innocently to Touka

  
"Uhhh... Sure" Touka can't resist and lets Saiko carry Ichika "There, support her, like that"

  
"She looks just like you Maman" Saiko remarked while carrying Ichika "Auntie Saiko's gonna spoil you Ichika-chan and when you grow up, we're gonna play a lot of video games and I'll let you read some manga" hearing that made Touka place a palm on her forehead while Kaneki lets out a nervous chuckle.

  
"Saiko-chan, I think that's a bit too advanced" 

\--

"Thank you very much" Yusa replied before leaving the flower shop, with a boquet of flowers in his hand. For most of the time, Yusa can blend into the crowd easily but this time he was standing out. It is not because of the trench coat he wears or the boquet of flowers in his hand, it is the kendo shinai bag strapped on his back that makes him stand out.

But Yusa didn't care, he just kept walking despite the attention and the talks he is hearing. As he was nearing the room where Touka is, he could hear the loud laughter inside the room "Looks like they got a lot of visitors" _(I wish Take is here)_ Yusa felt nervous when he realized there are lot of people inside. Taking a deep breath, just as he was about to open the door "?!"

  
"Oh my!" Tsukiyama smiled at Yusa "A boquet of flowers!"

  
"Tsukiyama..."

  
"Feeling nervous to enter kid?" Tsukiyama places a hand on his shoulder "Don't be shy, your friends at the Chateau are here too"

  
"Uhhmmm... Wait- !" without warning Tsukiyama pushed him inside "..." Yusa was standing there frozen. Though he had a stoic expression like Kishou, his eyes tell that he was nervous because everyone inside is looking at him _(Oh I really wish Take is here!)_ "K-Kaneki..."

  
"Yusa, why did you buy a boquet of flowers?" Everyone look puzzled

  
"Uhmm... A congratulatory gift..."

  
"Ah! I see..." Kaneki smiled as he took the boquet. "Thank you" One by one he put the flowers inside a vase _(I think it looks better now)_ "I wonder what happened to those two" a slight hint of worry painted Kaneki's face

"The two lovebirds? Come on they're adults now" Nishiki sighed "They know what they're doing"

  
"Nishiki... We just wanna make sure that they will be the ones responsible for the choices they're going to make" Touka points out what Kaneki wanted to imply "Though I have to agree... They're adults already"

  
"?!" _(Where did he go?)_ Hsiao realized that while everyone was talking about Ayato and Hinami, Yusa left the room without anyone noticing "Saiko, I'm going out to get some fresh air"

  
"Sure! Take your time Hsiao-chan" Saiko smiled before joining the others in their conversation

_(Alright)_ Hsiao stretched after going out of the room "I wonder where did he go?" she kept thinking of places that where Yusa would probably go whenever he wants to be by himself "There's no way he would stay in the comfort room for a long time" Hsiao sighed while looking for the places "The fire exit!" running as fast as she can, just as she was about to turn right...

" **??!!** " _**(Shit!)**_ a slight tinge of panic hit her when she saw Hinami and Ayato kissing each other at the fire exit _(Sorry for interrupting!)_ Hsiao looked at them one more time _(Oh! They didn't notice me...)_ "Alright then" fixing herself, she passed by the couple pretending that she didn't see them _(Safe...)_ Hsiao lets out a sigh. "Aah! I think I know where he went" a small frown formed on her face.

"Arima-san, Hairu, Furuta, Shio, Rikai... I miss you guys" Yusa looked at their graves while offering flowers. Almost everything he felt for Furuta were nothing but hate and resentment. Still, a part of him wished things should have been different _(Furuta... who always wore a smile despite everything, one who would always make jokes.)_ "That's the Furuta I want to remember... I wonder if you guys are playing kagome kagome on the other side" the snowy wind blew on his face "I guess so..." Yusa wraps a scarf around his neck and took his leave "Neesan..."

"Where else would you go if you wanted to be alone?" Hsiao crossed her arms, a small hint of disapproval in her voice 

  
"I miss them..." Yusa muttered, beneath his soft and gentle voice lies melancholy. Despite the Chateau being full of life and happiness, he felt empty. It was the same emptiness he saw in Kishou and Take's eyes. Now he fully understood what they felt. _(What's the point in all of this?)_ Despite everything he had done to forget it all, each time he tried, it just comes back to him. "What are you doing?"

  
"Just come closer" Hsiao insisted

  
"Alright..." Yusa did as what she wanted "?!" he felt Hsiao's lips land on his forehead as he was pulled into a tight hug "Neesan... Thank you..."

  
"Just remember, I am always here for you" Hsiao cupped his cheeks and pressed her forehead against his 

  
"I'm glad you're here..." Yusa muttered softly, a small shard of happiness seeping through the greater part of melancholy in his voice, that happiness clinging to whatever hope it could find. He felt warmth and comfort in Hsiao's embrace "I wish things were different... Even though I hated and resented Furuta... A part of me wants to see him again..." Yusa voiced out his thoughts "I want to play kagome kagome with them again..."

  
A sad smile formed on her face "Me too... I want to see Hairu-neesan again" Hsiao closed her eyes as she caressed Yusa's hair. "Let's go back, Saiko must be waiting for us both"

"..." Yusa nodded. As they make their way to the hospital entrance "?!" Yusa saw a familiar face, holding a boquet of flowers. The woman who gave him the copy of King Bileygr. "Eto..." _(She's beautiful...)_ For a moment when he thought Eto didn't know he was looking at her, she gave him a smile before leaving. That smile left him speechless, a pink tinge showing on his cheeks. For some reason he felt happy but that was cut short when he felt a hand tapping him "?!... Neesan..."

  
"Who are you looking at? Is it someone you like?" Hsiao smirked

  
"No... It's nothing..."

  
"What about me?" she leaned closer, teasing him might be a good idea to lift his spirits

  
"Neesan...?"

  
"Come on! Just tell me if you like me or not" Hsiao playfully shaked him

  
Yusa hesitated for a moment, averting his eyes to other directions "I... like you..." he muttered, looking at her like a lost child

  
"Nah don't take it seriously! But, I don't mind at all if you like me" Hsiao smiled at him

  
"Fine fine" Yusa nodded. Good thing he was wearing his scarf, hiding his blush, smile, and admiration to Eto.

\--

"Oi Kishou, you must be happy on the other side" Eto placed the flowers on the grave "You goddamn cheater... but your relative is interesting" she muttered while looking at the skies. "Stoic and emotionless like you... except the eyes. Mild and gentle like a lost sheep" she smiled sadistically while describing Yusa. She would always observe him from a distance, his body languages, mannerisms, the way he fights, not missing a single detail. "Hahahahahaha... I wonder if you will surpass them, Yusa-kun" Eto laughed maniacally as she left the cemetery.

  
"Hmmmm... I guess this will do" Eto took a bunch of apples and a bottle of blood wine. She watched a lot of horror movies while munching the apples and drinking until she got drunk, just a little bit of wine remaining inside the bottle. "You goddamn cheating asshole..." Eto mumbled in her sleep, a tear escaping one of her eyes "Fuck you Kishou!!" she cursed him as she fell off the sofa, sobering her up.

"Owww!" Eto shook her head, the dizziness and intoxication fading "Ohh!" she turned off the tv and drank the remaining wine inside the bottle. "Tatara's dead! Noro's dead! Kishou's... dead!" Eto muttered as she hugged her pillow tightly. "Wait..." Suddenly she took out an envelope, looking at the files inside until... "My my..." Eto grinned sadistically, looking at a file containing information about Yusa. Observing him somehow relieves her from boredom, "He thought I didn't know... That smile caught him off guard" the way he looked at her, it makes her happy.

\--

"Yusa are you coming?" Hsiao asked the young Arima who is seemingly sleeping. "Yusa?"

  
"Nope. I have something important to do" Yusa replied, eyes closed. The whole time Hsiao and Saiko are talking he was lost in his admiration for Eto but nevertheless he was listening to them. "A message? From Take..." Yusa took out his cellphone, "What the... hell?" he tried to hold back his laughter after reading the message sent. In a distance he saw Hirako with his other drinking buddies

  
"Woah! Watch your step" Itou told the drunken Ui "Good grief! You always drink too much"

  
"I didz nod drink dadz mudge" Ui mumbled as he tried to walk but he felt dizzy and his legs are wobbly. He mumbled something incomprehensible while fumbling his pocket

  
"What happened?" Yusa asked them

  
"He drank too much" Hirako replied, face bland as ever "Can you help us carry him? Koori's house is just nearby"

  
"Sure" Yusa assists them in carrying Ui "Woah! Ease up Koori-senpai!"

  
"Shaddup" Ui waves his finger "I can walk on my own"

  
"You just proved that you need assistance Koori-senpai" Yusa tries to hold back his laughter

  
"Whach are you laving at?"

  
"Oh shut up!" Itou smacked his back. Even with the three of them, it was hard to carry him because he kept thrashing around. As they reach Ui's house "We're already here so stop thrashing around" the effects of the alcohol on Itou vanished "I never thought he would be able to drink that much"

  
"He must be stressed out teaching at the Academy" Hirako stretched his arms

  
"Where didz I pudz idz?" Ui fumbled through his pockets, finding the key to open the door "I can't findz it"

  
"What?" Itou looked confused

  
"Hmmmm" Hirako leaned closer to Ui, ignoring the smell of alcohol from his mouth "Alright" he searched Ui's pockets until he found the key "Is this it?"

  
"Yezzz" Ui confirmed

  
The trio carried Ui inside his house, placing him on the sofa "Oh you got to be kidding me!" Itou massaged his temples when he saw Ui holding a cigarette

  
"Koori-senpai!" Yusa agreed with Itou

  
"Here" Hirako lighted the cigarette and gave it to Ui "Don't start a fire inside your house because of smoking"

  
"..." Ui nodded as he began to smoke

\--

After looking at places for their date, they decided to go to a cafe. _(How should I tell her?)_ Saiko kept thinking of ways to confess to Hsiao what she feels about her. When she needed a shoulder to lean on, Hsiao was there for her. When Urie framed-out, they were the ones who stopped him. She felt happy with her but still she didn't know how to start, despite every manga she read. Everytime Hsiao praised her for her skills, being called cute and lovely, she felt happy. _(I don't know how!)_ Saiko cussed internally as she took a bite on her banoffee pie

  
"Is something bothering you?" Hsiao asked her, full of concern

  
"No. It's just that the night sky looks beautiful" Saiko pointed through the window

  
"Yeah" Hsiao agreed, taking out her phone and taking a picture "Saiko"

  
"Oh!" Saiko smiled as Hsiao took a picture

  
"You look so cute Saiko" Hsiao remarked "Do you have a cold?"

  
"Ah! I'm alright Hsiao-chan" Saiko dismissed and drinks her milkshake _(How can I tell her now?)_ "Hsiao-chan..."

  
"Yes?"

  
"Uhmm... Nevermind" Saiko shooked her head and continued eating. "Look! A shooting star!" Saiko pointed to the night sky while they take a walk "What did you wish for Hsiao-chan?"

  
"My wish is..." Hsiao leaned closer, pulling Saiko to a kiss

  
"Hsiao-chan..." Saiko looked at her blushing "This is my wish too" she kissed her back "I love you Hsiao-chan"

  
"I love you too"


	4. Sick Leave

"Wow these are a lot of paperworks to be done" Hsiao continues typing reports that need to be done by the end of the week. She drinks some coffee for a caffeine boost _(I think I need to stay up all night to finish half of these)_ she ponders while typing.

  
"Hsiao-senpai aren't you going back to the Chateau?" Suzu asks her

  
"I might go home late" Hsiao smiles at her "I'll finish these paperworks. Yusa can cook for you guys" she reassures her

  
"Alright then" Suzu replies in a cheery tone "Let's go back Tatsumichi" she goes out with the other newbie

  
_(She reminds me of Hairu-neesan)_ Hsiao smiles while looking at Suzu "Well I really need to finish up the reports" she stands up and brews another cup of coffee "Looks like I need a lot of caffeine boost to keep me up" she sips some and takes out a melon bun from her bag "A snack would be good" she munches the bread.

Hsiao stayed at the office for hours, not bothering how cold the air conditioner is _(This may do... I have finished half of the reports. Time to go home)_ she folds her laptop, wears her coat, arranges her things and goes home "Wow I managed to complete half of it" she exclaimed as she walked home "I wonder what Yusa cooked this time." Hsiao really loves Yusa's cooking and he was a better cook than her. As she entered the Chateau "I'm back" she announced

  
"You're late" Yusa greeted her in a stoic demeanor "You might be working yourself too much, I saved you some of the dinner"

  
"I see" Hsiao caressed his hair "Thank you." After having dinner, Hsiao took out her laptop after cleaning her room to continue finishing the other half. "Whooo! These ones are really long!" Hsiao stretched her arms "I guess I should continue this tomorrow" she turned it off and goes to sleep.

  
"AAHHH" Hsiao yawned as she woke up "Time to work" she smiled after stretching as she takes a towel and goes to shower. She takes her bag and coat as she goes down the stairs "You guys woke up early" 

  
"I have to teach some of the younger generations" Higemaru sipped some coffee while eating steak "My padawan's really good at cooking! You might want to try this"

  
"His cooking reminds me of Maman" Saiko agrees "It's really delicious Hsiao-chan" she gives her a mouthful

  
"Well we gotta go" Urie gestures to Yusa "We have some whack-a-mole operations" Suzu and Tatsumichi follows them

  
"Hmmm... Delicious!" Hsiao smiled after tasting the steak. Hsiao and Saiko goes to their offices while Higemaru went to the Academy to teach some of the aspiring peacekeeper candidates and those who want to apply for the Quinx surgery. "Ah! That felt good!" Hsiao remarked after drinking a cup of coffee. As she felt the caffeine boost she started typing, her entire focus is on the laptop. "Woah! I never thought I would finish it early" she exclaimed "Just need to print these out then submit it" Hsiao stretched up.

_( **Ow!** That hurt a bit!)_ After compiling the reports and paperworks inside a folder "Looks like it's time for lunch" Hsiao checked her watch and goes down to buy food at the cafeteria. As she goes down the stairs "I... feel like..." Hsiao felt dizzy and holds her head, going down slowly "What the..." she felt her vision dimming and shakes her head "Maybe I should have taken a snack earlier" Hsiao muttered.

  
"Genie..." Higemaru noticed her movements are wobbly "You look pale! Are you alright?"

  
"Yeah" Hsiao dismisses "I'm alright" she walks but before she could get past him she suddenly collapsed "Hige... I feel..." Hsiao weakly muttered as she felt herself losing consciousness

  
"OI GENIE!" Higemaru kept shaking her "WAKE UP!"

  
"AAARRRGGGHH" Hsiao wakes up "Where am I?" she remembers talking to Hige before collapsing "The report! I have to submit it!"

  
"Looks like you're awake" Kimi greets her "I suggest that you take a sick leave. Your body is in poor physical condition"

  
"Sick leave? Poor physical condition?! But-" she turns to her side and sees multiple IV drips injected to her _(Don't tell me...)_

  
"Higemaru told me that you were wobbly before you collasped. Have you been skipping meals or lacking sleep?" Kimi sits down on a chair

  
"No... I always have a complete sleep and I don't skip meals"

  
"Then I guess it must be the accelerated aging" 

  
"I took the Quinx surgery, yet it didn't halt the aging..." Hsiao clenched her hands to a fist "Furuta became a one-eyed ghoul thanks to Kanou, did his transformation helped in halting the aging?"

  
"Unfortunately, no." Kimi looked at her with great concern "He expected that it would help halt the aging but what happened was the opposite. Despite that, Furuta kept smiling and even refused to take the painkillers prescripted to him"

  
"I see..."

  
"If you are experiencing pain, drink this painkiller" Kimi leaves some painkillers beside Hsiao's bed

  
"Thank you Kimi-san" Hsiao replied as Kimi left the room "Whoo! How long will I stay here? I already miss Saiko" she looked at the multiple IV drips injected to her "I guess... Nevermind! While I am confined here, I will research on how to extend our lives" Hsiao shooked her head and drank the painkiller "Oh! My phone is here, I guess I should text him"

\--

"A message... from Hsiao-neesan" Yusa opened his phone "She should be resting instead of working..." he eyed the message for a while with disapproval but knowing her headstrong and unbreakable character "I guess I should just bring her laptop and the files from Matsuri" there is no use arguing with her "Even I won't be able to change her mind." Yusa goes inside Hsiao's room and takes the laptop. "Matsuri, did Hsiao text you about the files?" Yusa asked the last pureblood Washuu as he entered the house

  
"Yeah, just wait for a moment" Matsuri fixed his glasses and goes upstairs. "Here"

  
"Thanks" Yusa took the envelope and puts it in Hsiao's bag "I have to go." The hospital was just near the TSC's main office. After asking a nurse where she is confined, Yusa goes to the third floor and turns left "This must be the room" he eyed the numbers "Yeah this is it" he confirmed before entering "Neesan, I brought what you asked for"

  
"Thank you Yusa" Hsiao opened her bag, taking out the laptop and the envelope

  
"How are you feeling?" Yusa sits on the chair beside the bed

  
"Fine" Hsiao forced a smile on her face to relieve him from worrying "Don't worry about me and focus on eliminating the remaining Dragon Orphans" she caressed his hair

  
"I see..." Yusa looked at the multiple IV drips injected to her _(Neesan... you're pretending to be alright)_ he looked at her again and it wasn't new to him. Despite being on sick leave she is still working and he knew why she asked for the files _(The cure...)_ Yusa lowered his head, looking at his hands.

  
_"?!" Yusa covered his mouth in shock when he saw Kishou struggling to walk and suddenly... Kishou collapsed on the ground "Arima-san!" he immediately rushed to his side "Are you alright?" Yusa asked him as he helped him stand up and sit on a chair_

  
_"My painkillers... they're in my room... please bring them to me, and a glass of water" Kishou struggled to speak_

  
_"Alright..." Yusa goes to Kishou's room and takes the painkiller he needs to drink "This is..." he squeezed the container but not hard enough for it to break. Its a painkiller stronger than anesthesia or morphine. "Here Arima-san" Yusa handed him the painkillers and a glass of water "If you may excuse- !" but before he could take his leave, Kishou pulled him "Arima-san...?"_

  
_**"Don't tell anyone about this"** Kishou looked at him, eyes pleading_

  
_"I understand... I won't tell anyone... Not even Take, Hairu, or Koori-san..." Yusa understood that if the others learned that the White Reaper is feeling weak, they're squad would collapse. To ensure unity and harmony in his squad, Arima always put up the strong, cold and merciless front._

  
_Kishou pulled him to a hug "Thank you... Yusa..." he muttered while patting the younger Arima's back_

  
"What are you going to do after you've recovered?"

  
"Go back to work" Hsiao simply replied while reading the files "I want to stay with you guys... with Saiko... I'm glad you're here" she caressed his cheek

  
"Neesan..." Yusa held her hand, it was shaking. The next thing he saw was something familiar _(That painkiller, that's what Arima-san was taking when he collapsed)_ "I have to go, we have another whack-a mole operation" Yusa stood up and goes out of the room. As the door closed he clenched his fists. "Fighting..." Yusa muttered while slaying the Dragon Orphans. He kept slashing at every orphan he could see, neatly cutting them in half

  
"Yusa, watch out!" Tatsumichi shouted

  
"..." Yusa stabbed the Dragon Orphan behind him, he turned around and drilled the quinque into its head "Looks like this will take some time to wash out" he looked at his blood stained trench coat after removing the quinque.

\--

Weeks have passed, Kimi prescripted her some vitamins to take aside from the painkillers. Hsiao slowly regained her weight and the IV drips needed to sustain her lessened but still, she doesn't know when she will be discharged from the hospital. "Does framing-out help in halting the aging?" Hsiao asked Dr. Chigyou, Nishiki, and Kimi who stopped what they're doing "Or... will it be the same case as Furuta?"

  
"Framing-out..." Chigyou scratched his hair "might take a toll on your body. So I think it might be worse"

  
"But if she increases the Rc cells in her body by cannibalizing, that might help with the toll on her body and thus extend her life" Nishiki followed up

  
"Cannibalization..." Hsiao looks at her hand "Increasing the Rc cells in my body..."

  
"There must be another way!" Kimi stood up "She will go berserk if she frames out. And increasing the Rc cells in her body? I think it might shorten her life-span instead. I saw how Kanou tortured and mutilated Takizawa until most of the cells in his body are Rc cells"

  
"Are you suggesting that we should try using Rc suppressants on her, that it might somehow extend her life?" Chigyou asked Kimi after drinking a glass of water

  
"Yeah... We have to try..." Kimi reluctantly replied "Are you alright with that Hsiao?"

  
"I'll try anything! If it can extend our lives then I'll take it!" Hsiao replied, eyes filled with determination

  
"Alright then" Kimi nodded "Nishiki, cover your nose. We'll inject it to you" she takes a syringe and fills it with Rc suppressants. "This may prick just a little" Kimi proceeds to inject the Rc suppressant to a nerve in Hsiao's arm after wiping it with a moist cotton "Press it for a while" she told Hsiao after removing the syringe and disposing it. "How are you feeling?"

  
"A bit better" Hsiao smiled

  
"I see. Then I guess you need to take it at least once a week or if needed" Kimi goes out of the room with Nishiki and Chigyou.

  
Weeks have passed again and this time it is good news. "I'll be able to return next month?" Hsiao can't believe what she just heard

  
"Yeah! Your condition has improved a lot" Kimi smiled

  
"Thank you Kimi-san!" Hsiao hugged her "How was the progress on adjusting their palates?"

  
"Slow" Kimi sits down "but in time they will be able to eat human food too. We just have to keep trying. I wonder what will be next when it is successful" she places a hand on her cheek

  
"Aaawww I think I know" Hsiao smirked "Did he propose to you?"

  
"Huh? Not yet" Kimi blushed "Well I've been thinking of other ways on how to extend your lives. As of now the only thing I can give you to reduce the pain are painkillers and Rc suppressants"

  
"I see..."

  
"I've been thinking about..."

  
"About what?"

  
"If you choose to frame-out, Nishiki told me that the kagune you have might be compatible to you, and if you cannibalize after framing-out... I have to agree with him, it might help greatly in extending your life though you would have to give up on eating human food if you choose to do it" Kimi discussed to Hsiao what she and Nishiki talked about

  
"I'll think about it... And if I choose to frame-out, please have some Rc suppressants ready in case I berserk"

  
"Alright then" Kimi goes out of the room "You have plenty of time to think"

  
"Thank you Kimi-san" Hsiao lies on the bed and thinks about what she would choose. "Framing-out seems to be the best choice but what if I go berserk?" Hsiao looks at her hands "Urie framed-out... Saiko, if she hears of this she would also frame-out for my sake... I don't know what should I do... I wish you were here Hairu-neesan" she kept thinking of the matter until she suddenly fell asleep.

\--

"Hsiao will be able to return to duty next month I hear. Looks like we'll have more chefs around" Urie sat on the sofa and started reading some files

  
"The homely feeling of this Chateau is coming back... nfu. You should drop by more often too, Mucchanko"

  
"Well I got promoted. I'm a Special Class now" Mutsuki replied

  
"That's my chanko"

  
"I guess..." _(Special Class... that's... I'm still just...)_ Urie took a file and started reading

  
"By the way, Maman's kid is so big and..."

  
"So you went again, eh, Yonebayashi?" Urie raised an eyebrow

  
"You should come too Uri"

  
"Looks like this will do" Yusa turned off the stove "It's time to eat..."

  
"Wow! Miso soup!" Suzu's eyes widened

  
"I think Yusa's a better cook than Genie but... I'll admit I miss her cooking" Higemaru sat beside Yusa who is drinking a milkshake.

  
"Are you coming with me Urie?" Saiko looked at Urie who puts on his coat

  
"Yeah" Urie smiled "Let's go, Saiko"

  
Higemaru was busy washing the dishes when he saw Yusa wearing a trench coat and strapping a kendo shinai bag on his back "Where are you going?"

  
"I'm gonna visit her" Yusa replied

  
"Oh, wait for me. I'm coming too!" Higemaru finished washing the dishes and took a quick shower "Whooo! FEEEELS GOOOD!" he exclaimed as the cold water dripped on his skin. "This will do" he picked a sweater and wrapped a scarf around his neck. As he goes down the stairs "Mutsuki, are you coming with us?"

  
"Yeah" Mutsuki smiled

  
"Where are you guys going?" Suzu asked the trio

  
"To visit Genie" Higemaru grinned

  
"We're coming too" Suzu smiled as she elbowed Tatsumichi's arm

\--

"..." Hsiao yawned and stretched her body as she woke up "Whoo! That was a good- ! G-Guys...!" Hsiao felt embarassed when she saw her visitors

  
"Looks like the sleeping beauty has awakened" Higemaru tried to supress his laughter "Urie told us that you would be back in a month"

  
"How are you feeling?" Mutsuki asked her

  
"Better! I never thought you guys would visit" Hsiao smiled

  
"Your room looks like a flower shop" Higemaru looked at the surroundings

  
"Yusa always bring flowers whenever he visits me" Hsiao looked at the young Arima who is replacing the dead flowers with new ones "Where is Urie and Saiko?"

  
"They visited Kaneki" Yusa replied

  
"What about Aura?"

  
"Want me to tell you a secret?" Mutsuki leaned closer "He's on a date with Hogi" he whispered

  
"What?!" Hsiao's eyes widened "They're dating?"

  
"Yeah" Mutsuki smirked but a moment later it turned into a sad smile "Actually... I have something to tell you guys..."

  
"What is it?" everyone looked at Mutsuki

  
"I miss you guys, and I've been thinking of coming back..."

  
"Isn't that great news?" Hsiao and Higemaru's eyes widened "We miss you and Aura too. If there is one person who misses you a lot, it is Urie" Hsiao placed a hand on Mutsuki's shoulder

  
"Urie misses me, a lot?" Mutsuki looked at Hsiao "Then..."

\--

"Sasaki's daughter has grown up so fast" Urie tried to hide his smile while talking to Saiko "I never thought she likes fruits, good thing Mutsuki brought those apples"

  
"Yeah" Saiko agreed as she opened the door "Oh, Mucchan! Is something wrong?"

  
"No... Everything's alright" Mutsuki smiled "Kuki... I want to talk to you, alone"

  
"S-Sure!" Urie gulped, eyes confused yet happy in a way he can't explain. _(You called me Kuki...)_ Urie can't hide his smile as he entered his room alongside Mutsuki "So what is it you want to talk with me?"

  
"I've been thinking about returning here Kuki" 

  
"Really?" Urie's eyes widened in joy "I kept denying this from myself but... Mutsuki, I missed you a lot" he pulled him into a hug "Come back... I missed you Tooru..."

  
"Kuki, I miss you too" Mutsuki cooed, blushing.


	5. Distraction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I edited some of the format of the first chapters so they could be easier to read and uhmm...
> 
> Enjoy reading

"It looks like these are the rest of them in this area" Yusa stabbed one of the orphans out of its misery "Should we look inside the abandoned buildings?"

  
"Might be a good idea" Urie sheathes Tsunagi and gestures to the two rookies "Let's go!"

  
"Both of you are too fast" Suzu whined "Could we slow down for just a bit?"

  
"No! We need to eliminate these newborn orphans as soon as possible!!" Urie berated Suzu "Tatsumichi, come with me! You go with Yusa!"

  
"Roger" Suzu replied in a gloomy tone. "Hey Yusa, can I ask you a question?"

  
"What is it?"

  
"You joined the Quinx Squad right, then why didn't you take the surgery?"

  
"I don't need it" Yusa simply replied while they keep looking for some of the Dragon Orphans inside an abandoned building "And why did you ask me that?"

  
"I'm just curious on why you didn't take the surgery and you are always silent. Also, why did you refuse to take the Kishou name?"

  
"..." Yusa suddenly stopped moving, gripping his quinque harder and taking a deep breath. "Why...?" For a moment flashes of memories appeared before him. Kishou lying dead on the ground, Shio and Rikai beheaded right in front of him, Kaiko taunting and pushing him to his limits, Hsiao who kept working until she collapsed. "?!"

  
"Are you alright?" Suzu asked him

  
"Yeah... about that, I don't deserve that name"

  
"Have some pride in yourself senpai" Suzu jabbed his arm "I'm sure Arima-san would want you take that name too"

  
"Well then... Let's go" Yusa briefly smiled at her _(You remind me of Shio and Hairu.)_ He gestured a hand signal to stop when they reached the second floor "I'll go first and check, wait for my signal"

  
"Roger"

  
Yusa scanned the surroundings carefully, not missing a detail "Looks like nothing is here. Let's go to the next building." On the third building they heard some chomping sounds nearby. "Must be a rogue ghoul, be care- !" Suddenly a Dragon Orphan lunged at Suzu but he is able to slay it before it can even manage to pin her down "Are you alright?"

  
"Yeah, thank you senpai"

  
"Stay close." They proceeded slowly, checking every room inside one by one "Not here. Where could it be? Must be upstairs" Yusa muttered "Suzu, if something dangerous appears... Run!"

  
"Y-Yeah" Suzu reluctantly agreed "But why?"

  
"I will tell you in time" Yusa briefly smiles at her and pats her shoulder "Let's go." As they go upstairs the chomping sounds started to get louder until they stumbled to a room. It was a horrifying sight. He remembered Urie telling him that Dragon Orphans evolve at an incredribly fast rate. 

  
"Suzu... RUN!! I'll handle this" Yusa drew his quinque and attacked the orphans while Suzu did as she was told. He eliminated the four orphans inside the room with ease. But how could he forget that horrifying sight, the orphans were devouring their own kind. Yusa told Suzu to run not because she can't kill those orphans, but rather it might affect her psychologically. Suddenly he heard one of the orphans speak

  
"Niichan... It hurts..."

  
"Mimicry..." Yusa muttered before he puts the orphan out of its misery. He pondered about the world Arima foreseen "Everyone would turn into ghouls... Does that mean one of the oviducts will become poisonous? Or the Dragon Orphans will evolve into ghouls? Arima-san... was this all for nothing?" Yusa's hand was shaking as he gripped his quinque tighter.

\--

12 hours ago

"I wonder what day is it" Yusa looked at the calendar in his room "Wait... It's my birthday today, maybe I'll visit their graves." After cooking breakfast and taking a long bath, Yusa looked carefully at the clothes inside his closet

  
"I think I'll go with this" he smiled after taking an azure colored turtleneck. "I should visit Hsiao-neesan first" Yusa looked at himself in the mirror before wearing a black trench coat over his turtleneck and taking his kendo shinai bag.

  
"Woah look at you" Saiko took out her cellphone after seeing Yusa "Are you cosplaying or having a date with someone?"

  
"Huh? Nope, I'm just going out. Why are you taking pictures of me?"

  
"Come on! Just say cheese"

  
"Alright" Yusa surrendered and smiled as Saiko took a shot. "I wonder what are they going to do with the pictures they took" Yusa pondered while going inside the elevator "Well... Nevermind" he smiled as while the elevator goes up. "Neesan, you should be resting..." he sighed after taking a seat

  
"You always worry too much about me" Hsiao pinched his cheeks "Come closer"

  
"Okay" Yusa agreed "Thank you... Neesan..."

  
"I should be the one thanking you" Hsiao caressed Yusa's hair after kissing his forehead "You always visited me, even bringing flowers. It's enough for me"

  
"Neesan..." Yusa looked at her eyes. He knew she felt sad but at the same time she was happy too "You miss the Chateau, don't you?"

  
"Yeah. Did it stay as a happy place even in my absence?"

  
"Yeah" Yusa smiled at her "It remained a happy place, Neesan"

  
"I'm glad... I feel sleepy" Hsiao closed her eyes

  
"Sleep well..." Yusa rolled up the blankets. "I wonder what could really be the cure for us" he whispered to himself while looking at Arima's grave

  
_"Oh Yusa, what brings you here?"_

  
_"Rc suppressants? Does that help in extending our lives?" Yusa eyed Kimi, Nishiki and Chigyou "What about the Dragon's Toxin? Kaiko said that it helped him and V cure the imbalances in their bodies"_

  
_"There must be another way, taking the Dragon's Toxin involves a high risk! She would either transform into a ghoul or die! It's true that when we examined the bodies of the V agents who died in the Dragon War, their accelerated aging stopped, but we don't know if their transformation from demi-human to ghoul is painful or not"_

  
_"Then what choices does she have?"_

  
_"She should either continue taking Rc suppressants or frame-out"_

  
"..." Yusa clenched his fists "I guess she should continue taking Rc suppressants. Framing-out would risk her life. I don't want to lose her too." If he was Hsiao, he would have tried taking the Dragon's Toxin. Sooner or later his body will start rotting too "They might be right too. We don't know if the transformation from demi-human to ghoul is painful or not" Yusa sighed.

Just as he was about to leave the cemetery... he saw someone familliar. The person who gave him the copy of King Bileygr, whose smile caught him off guard "Eto..."

  
"I never expected that you would be here" Eto smiled, a boquet of flowers in her hand "Will you wait for me?"

  
"Y-Yeah... I don't mind at all" Yusa replied _(It's been 6 years since I last saw her)_ he looked at her while she puts the flowers on Arima's grave "She looks beautiful in that bob-cut..." Yusa muttered. For a moment he was lost in his imaginations and fantasies that he didn't notice Eto was at his back

  
"Where are you staring at?" Eto whispered at his ear

  
"?!... N-Nothing..." Yusa snapped back to reality and denied despite the pink-tinged showing on his cheeks

  
"Hmmm" Eto leaned closer, taking advantage of the moment "I almost melted from your stare." She smiled victoriously while looking at the young Arima who is blushing "Why don't you just admit that you like me?"

  
"Stop teasing me" Yusa blushed harder

  
"Only if you treat me" 

  
"Fine" Yusa surrendered "But I'll admit... I like you..." he whispered to himself

  
"I heard that" Eto smirked as she took Yusa's hand

  
"Whatever... Want to go somewhere?"

  
"Are you asking me for a date?" Eto interlocked fingers with Yusa "I would love too"

  
"D-Date?" Yusa blushed. When it comes to exterminations he is like Arima but romance... **ZERO!** _(Where should I take her? I never had a date before... Maybe a cafe would do. Shio, Rikai and Furuta will surely tease me if they_ _were alive.)_ "Do you mind if we sit there?"

  
"At the corner? Hahahaha you secretive kid" Eto teased him "Sure"

  
( _At least those two won't see her...)_ Yusa glanced a bit at Juuzou and Hanbee who are having a sweet moment.

\--

_"Hanbee" Juuzou called his right-hand man_

  
_"What is it Suzuya-san?" Hanbee asked him_

  
_"Wanna go with me for some sweets?" Juuzou invites him_

  
_"Actually there is no need for that" Hanbee replies_

  
_"Wait" Juuzou reaches for Hanbee's pockets and thoroughly searches them. He was able to find all of the sweets Hanbee hid "I used to do that with Haise before the meeting starts" he reminisces the times when Kaneki would_ _hide sweets in his pockets and let Juuzou search them. "Why are you redder than a tomato Hanbee?" he notices his right-hand man blushing._

  
_"Actually it's nothing, Suzuya-san" Hanbee dismisses it_

  
_"Well then why don't we take a walk?" Juuzou suggests_

  
_"Sure thing" Hanbee agrees. He felt relieved since he can't tell his superior that he likes him (How do I tell him? Should I wall-slam him? Or should I carry him like a princess and then confess that I like him?) just thinking about it_ _makes him blush as they take a walk._

_(No no no no no no no! I shouldn't do it but... I really like him) he feels conflict. As they walk together Hanbee can't stop thinking about his superior (How should I tell him?) he begins to consider_   
_other options like asking him for a date, making him blush (Don't even consider doing that, stupid Hanbee) he shook his head._

  
_"Is something bothering you Hanbee?" Juuzou looks at him with concern_

  
_"No-nothing really Suzuya-san" Hanbee avoids eye contact (He looks really cute.) As they reach Juuzou's house "Suzuya-san" he called him_

  
_"Yes?" Juuzou looks at him_

  
_"About tomorrow... will you go out with me?" Hanbee accidentally says (Shit! Why did I say that?) he felt embarassed and expected him to say no_

  
_"Sure" Juuzou smiled_

  
_Hanbee can't believe what he just heard. His superior just said yes (This... I'm not dreaming... Please... tell me I'm not dreaming) he felt happy and blushed really hard. He ran where Juuzou can't see him. As he walks back to his_ _home (He said yes... Oh shit this is real) he smiled._

_Hanbee took a shower and lied on his bed to take a rest. But he can't sleep, he can't get over at his superior's words "Oh my god" he said out of excitement as he hugged his pillow._

  
_Hanbee woke up and felt really excited for his date. He wears his best clothes (No need to be so formal, just gonna wear this and make myself look good.) He then goes to Juuzou's house and waits for him._

  
_"Hanbee how do I look?" Juuzou asks him_

  
_"..." Hanbee was left speechless. Juuzou was wearing a dress (He looks like a girl in that dress) he was mesmerized._

  
_"Hanbee?" Juuzou calls his attention_

  
_"Aah. You look pretty Suzuya-san" Hanbee blushes_

  
_"Call me Rei. It's just the two of us" Juuzou smiles_

  
_"O-okay Rei." Hanbee reluctantly agrees. (I never thought he would want me to call him by his old name) Juuzou clings around Hanbee's arm as they walk. He can't stop looking at him, the fact that Juuzou is wearing a dress, those_ _cute smiles, flawless skin (I wish you were a girl. I would have confessed right on the spot then wait for a yes or no) Hanbee blushes as he thinks about it._

  
_"Hanbee?" Juuzou notices Hanbee's blushing_

  
_"... Rei" Hanbee snaps back to reality._

  
_"Am I too close?" Juuzou asks_

  
_"A-actually... I like it..." Hanbee stutters. Juuzou clings closer to him, making his heart beat faster "W-Where would you like to go?"_

  
_"Where there are sweets" Juuzou smiles and blinks his eyes at Hanbee._

  
_(Damn he's too adorable. I can't take my eyes off him) Hanbee blushes harder. They entered a cafe and ordered a lot of sweets. Hanbee observed Juuzou munch all those sweets they ordered (He looks cute) he was mesmerized_ _again. He takes a bite on a cake (Now I know where to take him. We'll always go back here)_

\--

 _(They're leaving... I guess we are safe)_ Yusa drank his milkshake while observing Hanbee and Juuzou

  
"Say, Yusa-kun are you worried about me?"

  
"E- !" Yusa coughed "Yeah... Juuzou might still have a grudge against you for what you did to Shinohara"

  
"Ah that doll. He's not even at Kishou's level even if he equips his Arata" Eto touches Yusa's hand while drinking coffee "But I wonder if you Yusa-kun had surpassed him. I heard that you rejected the offer to take his name, why is that?"

  
"I don't deserve that name. Arima-san didn't even wanted to be called the White Reaper"

  
"I know that" Eto crossed her arms

  
"Then what is the point of asking me that?"

  
Yusa's question amused Eto "Hahahaha..." she tried to hold her laughter "Why? Because you're interesting"

  
"Interesting?"

  
"Aaahh!" Eto whined because Yusa's demeanor didn't change "You know what, you're already strong in your own way Yusa-kun. You just don't know it and that's what I like about you." That statement left Yusa speechless that Eto can't help but play a prank on him "Yusa-kun... I think something is on your..."

  
"Huh?" Yusa looked at where Eto is pointing. "What the... There is- ! She's gone..." He seemed calm on the outside but deep inside he was a bit nervous _(Where did she go?)_ he worries while reading the receipt carefully. Yusa finishes his milkshake and leaves a bill beside the receipt.

"I wonder where did she go?" Yusa kept walking amongst the crowd, finding Eto. He knows he must stay calm but he can't stop worrying about her until suddenly he felt something "What did I just feel?" Yusa stopped walking and looked at his surroundings "It feels like this happened before... I have to keep finding her." Yusa kept finding her till he noticed something that he decided to stop for a while and take out his phone. "The sunset looks so beautiful. Better take a- !" Suddenly his eyes were covered by someone "Finally decided to show up, Takatsuki-san?"

  
"Ehh, how did you know it was me?" Eto cooed

  
"Just a hunch" Yusa chuckled

  
"Hmmm" Eto leaned closer and decides to gently bite Yusa's ear "What a cute reaction" she smirked after hearing him shriek. "Will you walk with me?"

  
"Yeah" Yusa takes her hand "Let's go."

  
"Say Yusa-kun, when did you start liking me?" 

  
"?!" Yusa blushed while looking at her "Uhmmm..." he averted his eyes to another direction while he thinks of an answer and to keep himself calm "6 years ago, when you gave me that copy"

  
"Ah! I remember, you think I didn't saw you gazing at me through the window" Eto smirked

  
Yusa looks at his feet while walking with her "Can I ask you a question?"

  
"Sure"

  
"Arima-san... was he an important person to you?"

  
"Why did you ask?"

  
"I don't know. It just came to my mind" Yusa looked at her. Suddenly they stopped walking and they were just in front of Eto's house "Is something bothering you?"

  
"Yusa-kun... will you do this for me?"

  
"What is it?"

  
"Will you take responsibility?"

  
"Responsibility...? What do you-" before his mind could even process what is happening, Eto's lips suddenly silenced his. "Eto..." the next thing Yusa knew, a finger was placed on his lips

  
"Did you like it?" Eto looked at Yusa's bewildered eyes "Just a little more..." she leaned closer and kissed him again, this time she puts her tongue inside his mouth. The next thing she did was bite his lower lip which startled Yusa, making him tremble a bit and earning another shriek but she didn't care. "Yusa-kun... will you take responsibility for this?"

  
"Yeah..." Yusa closed his eyes while Eto caresses his cheek "But why me? You could have gone for someone your age... I'm younger than you..."

  
"My my that's cold Yusa-kun" Eto pouted as she pinched Yusa's cheeks "I look younger than my age. Despite that white hair, you don't even look like an adult!"

  
"Sorry... I was just... surprised..."

  
"How cute" Eto leaned closer and kissed him again "Apology accepted. Are you going to stay the night?"

  
"Uhm... Uh..."

  
"Everything's going to be alright. It's-just-the-two-of-us"

  
Sorry but I have to go... They might be finding me at the Chateau" Yusa stammered and blushed before leaving Eto much to the latter's amusement

  
Eto entered her house with a sadistic smile on her face "Say Kishou, your relative's really interesting isn't he?" she said in a playful voice while pouring herself a glass of blood wine. "I never thought that he would taste so good" Eto licked her lips while gently shaking the glass.


	6. Family Meeting

Present time...

Yusa was frozen where he is standing yet his hand kept shaking as he gripped the quinque tighter. "Was this really all for nothing?" Numerous thoughts run in his mind while looking at the four orphans he elimanated, a moment later he snapped back into reality when he felt Suzu shaking him "I'm alright Suzu... I was just collecting my thoughts"

  
"Is that the reason why you told me to run? I could kill them with ease!"

  
"I know... but what we just saw earlier... I wish you didn't have to see that" Yusa replied completely devoid of emotion yet his eyes tell everything. For the person who comforted him when no one was there and the junior who was also an alumni from the Garden. He would keep fighting and killing in hopes that Hsiao wouldn't go back to active duty by the time she is discharged from the hospital. It would take some time and stubborness to convince her even though he isn't sure if it will work while as for Suzu, he wouldn't want her to end up like what happened to Shio, Rikai and Hairu

  
"I know you are strong... its just that Hsiao might scold me if you end up getting hurt" ( _We don't even have the cure for the imbalances in our bodies yet and Hsiao can't always rely on Rc suppressants forever..._ ) Yusa forced a smile on his face "Let's go. Urie might be finding us"

  
"Fine fine"

\--

"Looks like they are the only ones inside this building" Urie remarked after pulling Tsunagi out of one of the orphans he stabbed _(I'll catch up to you Tooru and once I become Special Class..._ ) "Let's go Tatsumichi"

  
"Roger" Tatsumichi replied, panting

  
On the way out of the building they ran into Yusa and Suzu "Have you noticed anything different from the orphans?" Urie asked the pair

  
"Yeah. They evolved again..."

  
"What are the changes?"

  
"They can mimic voices and even speak words... What's worse, we saw them devour their own kind..." Yusa sheathed his quinque

  
"I see... Let's go back." At the Chateau Urie did his usual thing, reading files while drinking coffee. Yusa on the other hand took a long shower before cooking a meal for the squad.

  
As Urie finished reading the file in his hand, a question flashed in his mind ( _Why did Yusa reject the offer to take up the Kishou name?_ ) He looked at the young Arima who is busy cooking "Yusa" he called him but the latter seems too focused "Yusa!" Urie slightly raised his voice to get his attention and the young Arima looked at him. Somehow a large part of Yusa reminds Urie of the White Reaper "Why didn't you take the Kishou name?"

  
"..." Yusa hesitated to answer. For a moment he thought about what he should do first. He looked at the pot where he is cooking their meal ( _It's not yet boiling so I guess I can leave it for a bit._ ) "Well..." he started "I... I... do not deserve that name..."

  
Yusa's reply somehow left Urie dumbfounded "You don't deserve that name? Everyone thinks highly of you, in any moment you could be promoted to Special Class"

  
"I appreciate it but I just think I don't deserve it" ( _What's the point in me taking it?_ )

  
"You're already strong Yusa" ( _I should be the one who should work hard more... even though you are one rank below me it feels like you are always a step ahead or two. When I become Special Class... maybe Tooru will look at me_ _again... maybe he'll forget about Sasaki..._ ) Urie covered his face with the file under the pretense that he hasn't finished reading yet, hiding an expression of jealousy, guilt and regret. He wished he had Yusa's skills, he feels guilty that Mutsuki left them and regrets that he didn't stop him "This time Tooru... I'll make sure that you will be happier than before" Urie muttered before drinking the remaining coffee, ignoring the heat.

  
"Where's Saiko?" Urie stood up

  
"She visited Genie" Higemaru replied

  
"I see. Yusa, I'll leave the Chateau to you"

  
"Okay" Yusa replied while stirring the soup "But where are you going?"

  
"I'm going to see Shirazu" Urie replied before going upstairs. It didn't matter if the water coming out from the shower is cold or hot as long as it helped him cool down from stress. Working out and training doesn't seem to aid in relieving him from stress, instead he felt that it was too exhausting even though he would always do it "Somehow... I feel refreshed" Urie muttered as the water dripped on his skin.

  
On the way to Shirazu's grave he saw a familiar face "Haru? Is everything alright?"

  
"Yeah. I have good news" Haru replied and shows Urie a paper "I applied for it"

  
Urie took the paper and read the contents which left him surprised and totally against her decision "Why did you apply for the Quinx surgery?"

  
"I want to be like brother and I want to help you guys. The kindness you gave me, I want to repay it"

  
"Haru... Anything but this" Urie could crumple the paper at any moment but he chose not to. He tried other ways of persuading her but she is persistent. With gritted teeth Urie finally agreed "Fine. Take the surgery and join our squad, just don't get yourself killed" ( _Shirazu wouldn't want you to take this job if he was alive_ )

  
"Really?! Thank you Urie-san" Haru hugged him

  
"Want to go to the Chateau?"

  
"Yeah"

  
On the way back to the Chateau they ran into Saiko "How is Hsiao doing?"

  
"She seems fine" Saiko replied "Hey Haru what is that paper you are holding?"

  
"I applied for the Quinx surgery"

  
"W-What?!" Saiko has the same reaction as Urie did when she heard Haru's reply "We'll talk about this later Haru-chan." Saiko decided to play some video games with Higemaru first while she thinks of what she will say to Haru. Though she is happy that they will have a new member she also feels conflicted on why Haru chose to become a peacekeeper and a Quinx on top of that ( _Mu-chan will also disagree if he hears of this_ ) Saiko thought and speak of the devil she heard Mutsuki's voice along with Aura and Hogi as the trio entered the Chateau "Looks like you beat me today Hige" Saiko snapped back to reality when the character she is controlling died

  
"Wanna play another round?"

  
"Nope. I'm gonna go upstairs" Saiko declined

  
"That's strange. Did something happen?"

  
"No. I just feel tired" Saiko lied and goes upstairs to her room. She took out her phone and messaged both Urie and Mutsuki to come to her room "Shiragin wouldn't want Haru-chan to become a peacekeeper. I have to talk to Urie and Mu-chan about this." And not long enough her two closest friends entered the room "Say Urie, why did Haru-chan apply for the Quinx surgery? Saiko locked the door and sits on her bed hugging a pillow

  
"What?!" Mutsuki was surprised since out of the remaining first batch of Quinxes, he was the only one who didn't know "Why would she do that?"

  
"She said she wanted to be like her brother. She wanted to repay the kindness we gave her. At first I tried to convince her to rethink about what she was going to do but she was persistent" Urie explained Haru's reason for applying to take the Quinx surgery. Though they understand Haru's intentions, a large part of them strongly disagrees especially Urie. Even now he still feels guilty for Shirazu's death and still hasn't move on. The only thing he could think of to protect Haru is to persuade her not to join Quinx squad or even become a peacekeeper.

  
"What should we do then? If she won't listen then should we tell the other members about this. We would need their opinion too" Mutsuki suggested

  
"Might be a good idea" Saiko agreed and sends texts to the other members of the squad. Since Hsiao isn't present she takes her time to wait for her girlfriend's message "Looks like they are here" Saiko opened the door and one by one they entered the room including Hogi "Did Haru-chan go home already?"

  
"She's sleeping at one of the rooms. So what is it we have to talk about that all of us were called?" Higemaru stretched his arms

  
"Haru-chan applied for the Quinx surgery" Saiko started which surprised the others. The trio observed everyone's expressions. Suzu, Tatsumichi and Higemaru seemed overjoyed while Hogi is in between. Aura is silent while but nonetheless he was smiling. Yusa seemed apathetic but deep inside he is thinking on why Haru decided to apply for the surgery. Saiko recieved a text from Hsiao "Hsiao-chan agreed... Hogi what about you?"

  
"I think it's fine to me" Hogi replied

  
"Yusa"

  
"What was her reason?" Yusa asked the trio which broke the joyful mood of the others and in turn they were all looking at him like he was a criminal in trail

  
"Alright then. I'll tell you since you asked" Urie sighed "Haru wanted to be like her brother. She wanted to repay the kindness we gave her. But we three disagree with it"

  
"I see..." Yusa replied. He looked like he was just simply asking but he can relate. Yusa looked at Urie and both of them narrowed their eyes in agreement

  
( _So you understand too..._ ) Urie thought while maintaining eye contact with Yusa. The others begin to wonder if those two are communicating telepathically

  
"But if she really wants to join us then we have no choice but to accept her..." Yusa added before getting out of the room much to Urie's dismay

  
Now that Yusa has left the room everyone's attention shifted to Urie "Why are you all looking at me?"

  
"You are the squad leader Urie-boo" Saiko elbowed him "So what is your decision?"

  
"...." Urie looked at all of them one by one as he thinks of a decision "All right... We'll accept her" he finally surrendered ( _I'm so sorry Shirazu._ ) Urie took a hot bath while reflecting if he made the right decisions or if he messed up again. "No!" Urie shooked his head and clenched his fists "I have learned from my past mistakes, I grew. Shirazu, I promise you! I will keep her safe!"

\--

"So Haru will be a part of the family now" Hsiao smiled while reading a message sent by Saiko "I'm glad... - !" suddenly she felt herself coughing and to her surprise there was blood on the tissue she was holding "Shit! Even if I take Rc suppressants... - ! Damn it! What could be the cure for us?" Hsiao wiped her mouth with another tissue before drinking some painkillers "Framing-out... will it really help with this?"

\--

"Looks like you woke up early" Yusa greeted Haru

  
"Yeah. Where are you going? Everyone is still asleep"

  
"Dr. Chigyou called for me. He said he has a gift for me" Yusa wears his coat and takes his bag "Oh and I already cooked breakfast for you guys. Help yourself" he briefly smiled at her before leaving.

  
"O-Okay" Haru returned a smile. ( _He seems like a nice guy._ ) Unbeknownst to the others Haru was listening all the time last night. Eventually in the middle of her eavesdropping she was caught... by Yusa!! The young Arima looked at her carefully for a moment after closing the door and reassured her that he will not tell them that she was listening, something she did not expect.

  
"Maybe I should wake them all up" she goes upstairs. One by one she wakes them all up, saving Urie for last. Upon entering Urie's room "Oh!" Haru snickered after hearing him snore, she shakes him gently "Urie! Wake up! Breakfast is ready!"

  
Urie slowly opened his eyes "S-Shirazu..." he mumbled "Is it really you? Am I dreaming? I'm sorry... I could have saved you if I wasn't an idiot..."

  
Haru continued shaking him "Hey! I'm not Oniichan! Wake up!"

  
"H-Haru..." Urie massaged his temples "I've been dreaming again damn it!"

  
"Come on" Haru extends her hand "It's time to eat"

  
"Fine fine" Urie smiled. He does his usual hobby, drinking coffee while reading files. Unfortunately he can't eat human food because of framing-out but thankfully not everyone from the TSC knows that he is a framed-out Quinx but despite not being able to eat with them, just observing them tease, giggle and bicker each other makes him happy. How could he not forget that Mutsuki is here. Urie somehow feels relieved that Mutsuki finally came back to them, he's been wanting to tell him everything he felt during the 6 years that Mutsuki was away from the Chateau but something distracts him. 

  
He needs to talk to Haru first but he doesn't know how to start. Thankfully they don't have an operation today so his chances of starting a conversation about the matter is high yet Urie feels that Saiko and Mutsuki should be with him when they talk to Haru. Looking at his batchmates Urie took a deep breath after drinking his remaining coffee and goes back to his room to reflect again. 

  
For an hour he observed the snow outside and finally he thought of something that might help him clear his mind. Urie changed into his tracksuit and decides to take a jog outside. Somehow the cold wind feels good for him as he slowly began to increase the pace and distance he is running. After an hour of running "Whooo! That felt good!" Urie decided to walk home. On the way back to the Chateau he ran into Yusa who left earlier to take a gift from Dr. Chigyou "Where did you went?" he asked Yusa

  
"Dr. Chigyou asked me to come to his laboratory. He said he has a gift for me"

  
"A gift? What did he give you?"

  
"A quinque" Yusa replied

  
"I see. Let's go back." As they went inside the Chateau he noticed that Yusa was more silent than before "Did something happen?"

  
"No"

  
"How is Hsiao doing?"

  
"She's... doing fine..." Yusa hesitated in giving a reply "I'll visit her later"

  
"Oh... alright then" Urie goes upstairs to his room and takes a shower. "She'll be back in a month but I really wonder how she is doing right now. I really should come with Yusa when he pays her a visit but I have to do something first. I haven't seen her ever since she was hospitalized" Urie looks at the mirror after changing clothes "Well I guess I have to talk to Haru... now!" He goes into the room where Haru is staying "Haru I have something to tell you"

  
"What is it?"

  
"It's about..." Despite the calm exterior he is showing, he feels nervous and hesitates, a large part of him. Taking a deep breath "Yesterday we talked about you applying for the Quinx surgery. I talked first to Mutsuki and Saiko about it and well they disagreed. Then we asked the other members about the matter and most of them agreed. I guess I really have no choice but to accept even if I am totally against it. It's just... I don't want to repeat the same mistake again... He died because I was selfish... If only I was stronger back then, Shirazu would still be here..." For a moment Urie didn't realize he was crying until he felt Haru's hand wiping the tears "I'm sorry Haru... your brother died because of me"

  
"I don't blame you" Haru pulled him to a hug "You were there with him in his last moments"

  
"Haru..."

  
"Actually... I heard you guys talking about it last night. I'm sorry but all this time I knew and I was expecting that you talk to me about it"

  
"What? Then the whole conversation... you listened outside?"

  
"Yeah. I woke up and was about to go down and drink some water when I heard a noise in Saiko's room. Are you angry that I listened?"

  
"No. It's alright" Urie reassures her that he is not angry by patting her shoulder in a somewhat awkwardly manner before going out of the room. Outside the room Saiko and Mutsuki were listening all along

  
"When is her surgery?" Mutsuki asked him

  
"Next week" Urie replied.


	7. A Treat for Hsiao

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW Warning!!

While the trio talks about giving Haru a little surprise for next week after her surgery, Yusa on the other hand is in his room examining his new quinque. He didn't know why Chigyou would give him a quinque as a gift but nonetheless he took it.

"Maybe with this quinque I could kill every Dragon Orphan and destroy the oviducts" Yusa whispered. "This quinque was made from the kakuhou of the Non-Killing Owl" It resembled Kishou Arima's Owl quinque but this one was lighter and can fit inside his shinai bag alongside his old quinque. After settling his things he goes downstairs and wears his apron.

  
It was time to cook lunch. He kept slicing and dicing, ignoring the noise in the living room and reciting kagome kagome in his mind. Yusa's mind was calm and peaceful at the moment until thoughts began to circulate in his mind. He stopped what he was doing and looked at his hands

"If the world was really peaceful... If Furuta didn't unleash the Dragon... If only we were born pure..." for a while he thought he was holding flowers in his right hand only to realize it was the knife he was using "Priceless tools..." Yusa coldly muttered before he continued slicing the remaining vegetables.

  
"10 minutes" Yusa looked at his timer before sitting down, waiting for the meat to be thoroughly cooked before putting the vegetables. He sat there alone silent until he felt someone tapping his shoulder "Saiko?"

  
"Are you alright?" Saiko asked him

  
"Yeah..." Yusa replied "You love her, don't you?"

  
"Who?"

  
"Hsiao-neesan... Saiko, how did it feel like when you visited her yesterday?"

  
"Happy. I missed Hsiao-chan and I want to stay with her forever. Hsiao-chan must be important to you too. You always visited her ever since she was hospitalized"

  
"Yeah... She was there for me..." Yusa looks at his feet "I don't want her to die..." he whispered in a voice only he himself could hear

  
"Mmm? What did you say?"

  
Yusa was somehow surprised at Saiko. "Uh... I said I will always visit her whenever I had time" At the last minute he was able to make an excuse. For good measure he didn't break his eye contact with her

  
"I see... Are you going to visit her later?" Saiko losened up

  
"Yeah..." Yusa felt relieved that Saiko bought his excuse "I'll need to put the vegetables into the soup" he stood up and opens the pot. The soup smells so good and it was boiling just fine. Suddenly he thought about Eto _(If Eto was talking to me right now... If she was talking to me right now...)_

Just thinking about her makes him blush and then he remembered the kiss. It felt so sudden and to top it all it was his first kiss. Her hands felt warm on his cheeks, her lips were soft, when he looked in her eyes everything felt so slow. _(If I stayed the night with her... If I stayed with her we could have- !)_ Yusa's face was red all over "S-S-S-S- !" He bit his lower lip so he can't continue saying the word and when he felt the pain "Shit!" Yusa yelped

  
"Did something happen?" Higemaru asked him "Your lip! What happened?"

  
"It's alright. I just... accidentally bitten it" Yusa wipes the blood off of his lower lip before turning off the stove and going upstairs to his room. "Saved!" Yusa exclaimed, panting as he felt his heartbeat slow down a bit. To cool himself down he decided to take a bath. It felt so good he could fall asleep anytime till he remembered he was going to visit Hsiao "I almost fell asleep..." Yusa muttered before going out to choose clothes he is going to wear.

  
"This will do" Yusa remarked after looking at himself in the mirror and he takes his shinai bag containing his two quinques before going down. However there is something he didn't expect. Saiko and Higemaru are taking pictures of him "What are you doing?!"

  
"Keep taking pictures Hige! He literally looks like an anime character" Saiko giggled

  
"Ugh..." Yusa groaned and puts on the hood of his jacket. He expected that those two will stop taking pictures of him when he goes out of the Chateau but it was the opposite "Hmm..." Yusa was curious on why they are taking pictures of him so he decided to stop walking and taking a deep breath... "Is there something on my face?" he started

  
"Huh?" Saiko and Higemaru both lost their composure and started laughing their hearts out. "Well look at you, wearing a jacket and a turtleneck underneath" Saiko smirked

  
"What's wrong with that?" Yusa felt amused on their pranks "Are you guys coming or not?"

  
"How did you know?! Are you a psychic?!" Saiko and Higemaru's eyes widened

  
"Just a guess... Let's go"

  
But Saiko didn't want to lose as she wants to play pranks at him more. On the way to the hospital a grin formed on her face "Yusa, you don't have a girlfriend yet?"

  
Yusa suddenly stopped moving "G-Girlfriend?" he stammered, a pink-tinge showing on both his cheeks. Then his face was red all over again when he remembered the kiss "I don't have a girlfriend yet..." Yusa denied

  
"Why are you blushing that hard?"Saiko points out

  
"Short or tall?" Higemaru adds up

  
"Short..."

  
"Petite or chubby?"

  
"Petite..."

  
"Flat or busty?"

  
"Wait both of you! You're going too far" Yusa's stoic demeanor is slipping

  
"Look at him! Looks like Hsiao-chan going to tease you about it" Saiko and Higemaru grinned

  
"Don't you dare" Yusa stared daggers at both of them and while they were going up he observed both of them. It somehow reminds him of Shio and Furuta's antics whenever all of them would go out to eat or buy stuff. Just outside the room "Aren't you guys going to- ! Hmm, they disappeared. Well I guess I'll just enter first" Yusa entered the room to find her sleeping

  
"At least she's taking a rest" he whispered before taking a seat on a chair beside the bed. In his thoughts he wished that when Hsiao wakes up she will not go back to active duty "I'll kill them all... I'll keep fighting... so please Hsiao-neesan, rest well and don't overwork yourself..." It is not just his stoic demeanor that slipped, mixed emotions were seeping on every word he spoke while looking at her but still... there were no tears, he had to suppress the emotions he is feeling right now and focus on what he had to do.

  
He won't let her die and there is no way he will just sit and watch her suffer. Taking out Owl from his shinai bag "With this new quinque... I... I..." Yusa clings to every bit of hope he could find and if everything will go in his way the Dragon Orphans will be no more, including the non-poisonous oviducts. Even better if he could do all of it before his body starts rotting too.

  
Slowly, Hsiao opened her eyes after hearing a quiet and gentle voice. Looking to her side a smile formed on her lips, arms reaching out to caress Yusa's cheeks "Oh, is that a new quinque?"

  
"Finally awake, aren't you? Yes, it is a new quinque" Yusa closed his eyes as soon as he felt her caressing his cheeks, her hands were cold but nonetheless he felt something warm on his chest as it somehow relieves and calms him down "It's warm..."

  
"How are you doing?"

  
"Huh? I think I should be the one asking you. I'm doing fine"

  
"You should stop worrying too much about me" Hsiao frowned

  
"Neesan I- ! Alright... I understand..." Yusa tried to reason with her but was interrupted when Hsiao puts her index finger on his lips

  
"Yusa... Look at me" Hsiao slowly lifted his face so he would look at her "Look at me..."

  
Suddenly Yusa felt that everything was too fast "Yes... Neesan..." it was all he could say as Hsiao's words echo in his mind and the next thing he knew, Hsiao was hugging him tightly.

  
_(Shove a pair of tits in their face and they shut up right away)_ A sad smile formed on Hsiao's face as she caressed his hair " **Live...** " she whispered

  
"Neesan? What do you-"

  
"Shut up!" Hsiao raised her voice which immediately stopped him from asking further. When Hsiao and Kimi thought that she herself was getting better, things started to get worse. The Rc suppressants aren't able to halt the aging and she had to take the painkillers twice a day. Even now she doesn't even know when she will cough blood. She can't let everyone else see her in that way.

  
_"Are you going to tell them?" Kimi asked her after learning that her condition worsened_

  
_"No... They shouldn't learn..." Hsiao spoke slowly_

  
_"Here. Don't force yourself. Take your time" Kimi gives her a glass of water "If Rc suppressants do not work then-"_

  
_"Is framing out the only choice?"_

  
_"No..." Kimi hesitated to speak when Hsiao completed what she was going to say, or half of it. (The Dragon's Toxin, will it save her?) "I'm going to increase the pills you're going to take. Take the painkillers twice a day or thrice if needed. For now you should take a rest"_

  
_"Kimi-san what about-" Hsiao wanted to ask more about anything that can cure them but Kimi just gets out of the room without saying anything further._

  
_"There must be another way..." Kimi clenched her fists_

  
Slowly, Hsiao releases him from her tight embrace and asks him another question "Who gave you that quinque?"

  
"Dr. Chigyou" Yusa puts Owl inside his bag

  
"I see..." Hsiao smiled briefly, relieved that she was able to change the topic and to her surprise Higemaru and Saiko busted into the room "Hige! Saiko! What are you guys holding?"

  
"..." Yusa observed their grins "I see..."

  
Slowly, Saiko opened the package revealing sweets inside and there is a message too "You better read it Hsiao-chan"

  
"Who bought these sweets?" Hsiao asked "Don't tell me it's Juuzou and Hanbee. These are a lot, I can't eat them all by myself"

  
"We'll help you with that" Saiko leaned closer "Also I have something to tell you. Saiko thinks Yusa got himself a girlfriend"

  
_(This is bad! I got to get out of here!)_ Yusa immediately stands up and goes straight for the door only to get blocked by Higemaru

  
"Where do you think you're going?" Higemaru snickered

  
"I have something important to do"

  
"Is it really important or you just don't want admit that you have a girlfriend?" Hsiao giggled

  
"Neesan! I don't have a girlfriend yet"

  
"Then why did you swear ealier after cooking lunch? And you think I didn't saw your face all red" Saiko grinned

  
"You!" Yusa pinched the bridge of his nose while the trio laughed at their heart's content. "Hige can I go now?"

  
"Sure thing my padawan!" Higemaru winked before letting him pass. He stayed for a while, teasing Hsiao about her appearance "Look at you Genie, you should eat more and sleep a lot. You look like death!"

  
"Heh unlike you Hige. Despite losing a lot of weight and not being able to participate in operations I'm still faster and stronger than you"

  
"What did you say?"

  
"Wanna fight? I can take you on anywhere anytime Hige" Hsiao smirked

  
"Ugh damn it!" Higemaru placed a palm on his forehead "Alright you win. But I wonder who's gonna win between you and my padawan"

  
"I'm gonna vote for Hsiao-chan" Saiko started

  
"Did you remember that feint?"

  
"Oh yeah! I thought you were beaten by him at that time" Higemaru snickered "Shit! I have to go"

  
"Oh! Take care Hige!" Saiko waved goodbye to Higemaru and as soon as the door closed "Finally it's just the two of us"

  
"Saiko" Hsiao laughed nervously which was suddenly cut off by a kiss "I miss you..." she mumbled on her lips

  
"I miss you too..." Saiko mumbled back before removing Hsiao's clothes "Woah! You maintained that body!" Saiko licked her lips and goes for Hsiao's neck, marking her with hickeys "Hsiao-chan... Hsiao-chan..." She removed her own clothes

  
"You look so cute Saiko!" Hsiao helped her remove everything in the way "You're so cute..." she mumbled under her breath "Aah! Ease up!" Saiko's assault on her breasts startled her

  
"Sorry Hsiao-chan... I really want you now..."

\--

"How does it taste?" Kimi asked Nishiki

  
"Still the same. Just like horseshit"

  
"It will really take a while isn't it?" Kimi sighed before going out of the laboratory. While she was on her way to go and grab drink she decided to check on Hsiao if she is alright and isn't coughing blood. "Maybe she's asleep. Well I think I should check her painkillers too" And as she opened the door a startling sight appeared on both her eyes. She took off her glasses and blinked a few times to confirm if she was hallucinating but that is not the case

  
"What the- ! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!" Kimi squealed. "I'M SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING!" She shouted before slamming the door shut and running downstairs. Fortunately 2 glasses of water were able to calm her down but what she just saw earlier "I shouldn't have checked!!" Kimi massaged her temples before munching a snack "I should have knocked first"

\--

"Shall we continue?" Saiko smirked "Don't worry I'll explain to her"

  
"Yeah" Hsiao nervously chuckled _(I'm sorry Kimi-san. We forgot to lock the door)_ "Saiko?"

  
"Just a minute Hsiao-chan" Saiko fumbled through the bag she brought "Hsiao-chan, are you ready?"

  
"Ready for what?" Hsiao could feel that things are going to get rough "Don't tell me you brought your-"

  
"Yeah" Saiko faces her wearing a strap-on and jumps to the bed, hands on Hsiao's shoulders. "Here I come Hsiao-chan!" Saiko rammed herself to Hsiao. The hospital bed kept shaking and creaking. Hsiao did her best to keep her moans low but she just felt so good and Saiko too. They weren't able to do it ever since she was hospitallized.

  
"Saiko... I-" Suddenly Hsiao

\--

"I reallly shouldn't have checked!!! Geez this is so embarassing!" Kimi stomped her foot just outside the laboratory

  
"Embarassing? What are you talking about?" Out of nowhere Nishiki appeared on her back looking puzzled "Woah! Easy... Is there something wrong?"

  
"Nothing!" Kimi left him without saying anything further

  
"Hey! Did I do something wrong?" Nishiki asked her but Kimi just ignored him "I think I really did something wrong... Maybe I should treat her to soba and melon buns"

\--

"Whooo! That felt so good!" Hsiao smirked

  
"Yeah" Saiko agreed

  
"We have to wear our clothes again. Kimi-san might squeal again if she sees both of us naked"

  
"Oh right" Saiko laughed and both of them put on their clothes. Before she leaves Hsiao asked about Haru "Oh her surgery is next week"

  
"I see"

  
"Bye Hsiao-chan" Saiko kissed her 

  
"Bye" Hsiao smiled

\--

"Live..." Yusa muttered as he slowly opened his eyes and looks outside his window. "The night sky looks beautiful" The cold wind blew on his face but he ignored it and left the window open. "I think it's time" Yusa turned off his alarm and took a quick shower. He wore a black trench coat instead of the white one which he always wears. Going out of the Chateau was rather easy as the others didn't notice him "If I were an assassin they will be dead before they even realize" Yusa muttered. He looked up to the night sky and for a moment Yusa closed his eyes as he felt the cold breeze "Which ward should I start cleaning up first?"


	8. An Unexpected Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone came back from the depths of hell
> 
> NSFW Warning again!!

He goes back to where it all started. The ward where the battle between the CCG and Goat occured, where Shio and Rikai died before his very eyes. The memories would replay in his mind, the sudden appearance of a Dragon appendage with a consumed Oggai which would have killed Ui if they didn't have a temporary truce and joined forces. "Our bodies just moved on its own" Yusa recounted as he kept walking until he reached an entrance 

"Route V14..." Yusa muttered before proceeding in. It was dark but there is no way he would get lost. His eyes were closed as he kept walking inside the dark tunnel, just relying on his sense of touch and hearing aside from muscle memory. He kept walking in the dark, in silence. It was comforting for him. Slowly he opened his eyes and he could see light from a distance, he was reaching the end of Route V14 which would lead to the 24th Ward

  
"Brings back a lot of memories" Yusa whispered as he felt the cold wind blow making the hood of his trench coat fly away. The stars in the night sky were shining brightly "I wish you guys are alive to see this..." Yusa muttered while looking up before putting on his hood back. No ghoul or human inhabits the 24th ward, only orphans... Dragon Orphans and there are numerous of them here. Thanks to his ghoul blood the orphans just ignore him. Suddenly a loud roar was heard from a distance. Yusa rushed to the site where it happened and to his shock he saw a familiar face "You... What are you doing?"

  
"This voice... I see. It's you little Yusa" the man grinned and faces the young Arima, gloved hands wiping the blood from his mouth "I'm hungry so I went to find food and thankfully this bastard showed up"

  
"How are you even alive?" Yusa unsheathed Owl from the shinai bag

  
"Oh my that's a wicked looking quinque and it's the same as the puppet's! Have you come to finish me off little Yusa? If yes then finish what Associate Special Class failed to do"

  
"Yes... I intend to!" Yusa dashed forward, his left hand grabbing the throat while the quinque is pointed at the man's eye "I could kill you right in the spot... Souta Washuu-Furuta!! But I have some questions for you so that will have to wait"

  
"You've changed little Yusa" Furuta showed his signature smirk "But I would like to remind you that I have a kagune, haven't I? It's you who might be killed right in the spot"

  
"Why didn't you kill me earlier?" 

  
"If you're wondering why am I alive then you must be thinking that Shio and Rikai are alive too, am I right?"

  
"You..." Yusa hardened his grip on Furuta's throat and moves Owl closer to the eye "Answer me! How are you even alive?! Is this one of the Dragon's miracles?"

  
"What makes you think so little Yusa" Furuta cackled a bit as he closed his eyes only to open it again and reveal his kakugan, in both of his eyes "Is this proof enough?"

  
"Impossible... Then are they alive?"

  
"I don't know"

  
"Don't lie to me! How could you... It's because of you that they died! I tried not to hate you! I tried my best to remember you as someone who makes others laugh! But everything you did..."

  
"Unforgivable isn' it? You think you're the only one who suffered. Just when I thought that I could finally die after Associate Special Class struck me the Dragon's Toxin revived me! I thought that I could be free if I die but no... These past 6 years are more hellish than the other 25 years of my whole life! So what are you waiting for, END THIS NOW!! Take your revenge and be the puppet's rightful successor"

  
"Don't insult Arima-san!" Yusa lets go and turns his back on him

  
"You followed his orders obediently like a sheep little Yusa" Furuta continued mocking the young Arima "Did you really think you are free? Why are you still working for the TSC? Did you really think killing all of the bastard children will make Hsiao retire? You really are the perfect successor for Kishou. You are walking the path he walked."

  
"How did you know of that?"

  
"I've been observing both of you these past 6 years. Sooner or later she will die from the rotting"

  
"Tell me! Will the Dragon's Toxin save her?"

  
"Huh? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You may have changed a lot but-" _( **You're still naive!** )_ Furuta laughed so hard that Yusa is glaring at him "Yes it will save her"

  
"I see..." Yusa uttered under his breath "Thank you Furuta"

  
"Where are you going now?" Furuta asked Yusa but the latter ignored him "I never thought he would thank me. Nevermind! Maybe I should have a drink with my old friends!" Furuta puts on the hood of his jacket. His hair was longer than it was 6 years ago. He even considered growing a beard and mustache so he wouldn't have to avoid walking amongst a crowd of people but Furuta rejected the idea. It was night after all so people would be usually asleep indoors. Just outside the Helter Skelter bar "I'm excited to see what will be their reaction when they see me." Furuta smirked as he opened the door

  
"Wel- My my... Souta-kun!!" Itori greeted him 

  
"Itori! Where are the others?"

  
"Too bad! Uta's busy making masks while Nico hasn't visited much lately"

  
"Visited much lately?"

  
"He told us that he is going to find love" Itori sighed but smiled again now that Furuta is back "Say Souta-kun, wanna drink with me?"

  
"I prefer to drink alone"

  
"It's on me" Itori suggested to which Furuta reluctantly agreed. She sat beside him "Can you explain to me how you are alive?"

  
"Sorry" Furuta chuckled and drinks a glass of blood wine Itori poured "It's a long story"

  
"So what are you going to do now?" Itori asked him "Will you stupidly appear on public just to get killed? Kanekichi's gonna get pissed if he learns that you're alive. Don't get too reckless Souta-kun!"

  
"Fine fine" Furuta casually replied before taking another shot "What's the look on your face?"

  
"Nothing" Itori dismissed. She takes another bottle of blood wine "Souta-kun"

  
"I'm game then" Furuta smirked "Let's see who gets drunk first." They spent the night drinking, just the two of them. To Itori's surprise Furuta wasn't drunk yet and it was her fourth time getting another bottle "What's the matter Itori?" Furuta teased "This is boring! We should do something more fun!"

  
"I think I know something fun" Itori smirked, licking her lips. She leaned closer and pulls him to a kiss "Souta-kun..." Itori mumbled on his lips "You're such a great kisser"

  
Furuta's hands fumbled on Itori's clothes while his lips assault her neck. Feeling her hands run to his thighs and finally when she touched his crotch, Furuta stopped marking Itori and carries her to a room. He throws her to the bed and takes off his jacket, revealing a scar on his abdomen. Despite his high Rc cell levels the wound inflicted by Kaneki on his abdomen never healed, not even after being revived by the Dragon's Toxin. "What's the matter? Did you miss seeing my body?" Furuta teased Itori who was staring at his abdomen "It didn't heal... Oh my you're so kinky" Furuta remarked when Itori licked his stomach

  
"You taste so good Souta-kun" Itori smirked as she took off her dress "Now look who's staring"

  
"Why? The mole on your breast looks pretty"

  
"My my don't lie to me Souta-kun" Itori puts a finger on his lips while the other hand caresses his crotch. His cock was already hard which earns a smirk from her. Itori unbuckles Furuta's belt and takes off his pants, including the boxers. "I want you to get rough with me" Itori whispered to his ear

  
Furuta smirked proudly as he strokes his cock to reduce some of the stiffness. He pushed her to the bed, one hand holding her leg as he prepares to ram her in. Without warning he shoves himself forcefully inside her. Furuta withdraws only to shove his cock back more forcefully. She was hot and tight inside "Say Itori, you want me to be rough on you right? Then you better get yourself ready" Furuta whispered. He started to stroke faster, the bed made a weird creaking noise but they ignored it.

  
Itori enjoyed Furuta's hard and fast strokes. Each time he hits a certain spot a moan involuntarily comes out from her mouth. She felt so good she wraps her legs around his hips while her arms are around his neck. In the heat of the moment she felt Furuta's cock twitch once, twice and something hot and sticky came out "You really took it one step further"

  
"Yeah..." Furuta replied, panting as he withdraws from her. He lies with her and suddenly falls asleep

  
"Oh my you must be tired" Itori caressed Furuta's cheek and brushes his hair before embracing him. His appearance didn't change, he still looks youthful "Good night Souta-kun" Itori cooed before giving him a goodnight kiss.

\--

There was no sign of an oviduct in the 24th Ward, only Dragon Orphans. Yusa took his time in killing them with his new quinque, testing its firing mode and the traps that come out from it. The feather-like projectiles coming out from Owl proved to be useful for him though he preffered to use blade mode most of the time. After eliminating most of the orphans in the 24th Ward, Yusa stumbled upon an entrance "This must be the oviduct in this ward." He rushed inside the oviduct slaying every orphan he could see. As he ventured deeper the numbers increase but all of them fell to his quinque "Thank you for this quinque Dr. Chigyou" Yusa whispered after putting an orphan out of its misery.

  
He was able to find the core of the oviduct. Impaling the core using the Owl quinque a liquid flowed out from it, its color is the same as the orphans itself. Suddenly the core bursted but he was able to back off a good distance. Two bodies came out of the core, lying on the ground naked. Yusa walked slowly, his right hand gripping harder on Owl. He moved the first body and to his surprise "Shio..." Yusa kneeled and leaned closer, inspecting the neck. There was a scar around it "Then the other one is..." Yusa moved the other body "Rikai..." Rikai's neck also had a scar like Shio's. Slowly they opened their eyes

  
"Who... are you?" Shio weakly muttered "Yusa... Is that you?"

  
"Yusa..." Rikai followed

  
"Shio... Rikai..." Yusa didn't know how he would react. He was joyful to see them again but a part of him says that the dead should stay dead _(What should I do?)_ Yusa just looked at them, frozen.

  
"It's really him" Shio rose up and hugs him

  
"Yusa you look like you've seen a ghost. And why is your hair white?" Rikai asked him "Are you alright?"

  
"The Dragon's Toxin... it revived you..." Yusa muttered

  
"What? Hey! What's wrong? Yusa?" Shio and Rikai looked at each other when Yusa stood up. "Is everything alright?" Shio asked him "Hey! Say yes or no at least!"

  
Yusa ignored them. There was another body inside the destroyed core "Hajime... Hazuki..." Yusa muttered

  
"What happened?" Hajime muttered. The face that was bitten off by Kaneki was restored. Looking to his side "How are you two alive? As far as I remember I killed both of you"

  
Shio and Rikai felt a chill down their spine after hearing Hajime's words. "I finally remembered... You beheaded Shio with that goddamn kagune" Rikai stood up and started punching Hajime's face who in return just laughed. Her hands were covered in blood as she kept punching Hajime "Now I understand the look on Yusa's face... I'm sorry Yusa... We should've stayed dead" tears fell from her eyes

  
Shio stood up and shakes Yusa "Are you alright? Yusa?" he kept shaking him

  
"Arima-san... What should I do?" Yusa muttered

  
"HAHAHAHAHA! Look at your faces you traitors!" Hajime mocked the trio "And you Yusa, you look different but still you are just the shadow of the White Reaper"

  
"You bi-" Rikai grabbed Hajime and was about to punch him again but Yusa grabbed her hand "What are you doing?" she angrily asked only to see him knock Hajime unconscious, a syringe on the crook of his neck "Rc suppressants..."

  
"Let's go..." Yusa looked at her and to Shio before leaving the oviduct

  
"Where are you going? Wait up!" Shio ran after him

  
"Shio you idiot! We don't have clothes!"

  
"It's night time. Everyone's asleep so just follow me"

  
"Alright" Shio and Rikai reluctantly agreed. They followed him, the wind was cold but they ignored it. They were happy to see him again but they weren't sure if Yusa was happy to see them again. Both of them wanted to ask if he was alright but they don't know how to start. Rikai elbowed Shio who sighed in disagreement but nonetheless he asked him

  
"Are you alright? You've been too silent"

  
"Yeah..."

  
"Where are we going?"

  
"Just follow me... and be quiet!"

  
"Alright! You know what you should ease up once in a while"

  
When they finally reached the Chateau, Yusa reached into his pockets and takes out a key "Don't go in until I say so" Yusa whispered to both of them. He goes inside, checking if everyone's awake. The second floor was empty so he goes up to the third floor "The lights are all out..." Yusa muttered before going downstairs. "Come with me" The trio goes into his room and Yusa locks the door, takes out some towels and clothes

  
"Uh Yusa why are you bringing those clothes out?" Shio asked

  
"Take a bath" Yusa looks at them "We're going to visit someone tomorrow"

  
"Alright" Shio goes in to the restroom first

  
"Can you tell me what happened? How long have we been dead and why are we brought back to life?" Rikai started asking questions to Yusa who continued to stay silent "Yusa please..."

  
"I don't know... I don't know how to tell both of you..." Yusa sat down on his bed one hand massaging his temples "I don't even know how to react seeing you guys alive... Just when I finally accepted that both of you were dead..."

  
"I remember it. That bastard Hajime beheaded Shio. I was about to attack him but I suddenly blacked out" Rikai recounts "In that moment I died didn't I?"

  
"Yeah..."

  
"Then how did we ended up in that slimy ball? And worse with Hajime. Yusa? Are you listening?" Rikai leans closer to his face "Great! He fell asleep!" Slowly and gently she carefully lays him down on his bed and covers him with a blanket "The last time I saw you your hair is still black" Rikai caressed his hair

  
"That felt good!" Shio came out

  
"Alright then it's my time" Rikai goes inside. The hot bath was good. She kept thinking about how she and Shio came back to life. The only person she feels who could answer her questions is Yusa, but that will have to wait "It must have been really hard for him. Yusa's hair is white now, if I have to guess he must be 20 already. I wonder what happened to us. If Hajime beheaded us then why is my head and Shio's intact again?" Rikai muttered. She gets out of the bath and puts on the clothes Yusa took out "This one fits nice" Rikai looks at the mirror but suddenly she felt conscious and tickling sensation when she saw the scar on her neck. Looking at the bed she saw Shio fast asleep, cuddling Yusa.

  
Looking at Yusa's table the next thing she saw was "Melon bun!" Rikai gasped, wondering when was the last time she ate one. She decided to take a bite but the moment it hits her tongue "?!" Rikai accidentally dropped the bread and rushes to the comfort room. She vomitted at the toilet, thinking of reasons why does the melon bun tastes like horseshit until she goes out and looks in the mirror again "Ghoul... So Shio and I became a... ghoul!" Rikai muttered, kakugans glowing in both of her eyes.


	9. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of Yusa's lines is a reference to Katsura in Gintama.

Rikai stared at herself in the mirror, kakugans glowing. She looks at her two friends who are fast asleep, Shio snoring loudly and drooling while cuddling Yusa. Rikai crawls slowly to Yusa's left and cuddles him too. He smells so good it intoxicates and tempts her to take a bite but she shrugged the idea. There is no way she is going to eat her friends. She slowly closed her eyes and moments later she was fast asleep.

  
Yusa woke up early in the morning to see both of his friends cuddling him, Rikai on his left while Shio is on the right. Somehow he felt warmth in his heart while observing them but he stands up and goes downstairs to cook the squad's breakfast. He sat on a chair while waiting for the soup to boil, eating melon buns and drinking tomato juice "If Shio, Rikai and Furuta are alive..." the next person he thought was Hairu "If she is revived by the Dragon's Toxin, Hsiao will be overjoyed to see her again" Yusa whispered.

  
After cooking the squad's breakfast he returns to his room to take a warm bath. He wears his 0 Squad trench coat over a combat suit which is similar to Kishou Arima's and wakes both of them up.

  
"Uh... Yusa, what time is it?" Shio mumbled

  
"Good morning" Rikai rises

  
"Come on Shio we're going to visit Hsiao"

  
"Hsiao isn't here?!" Shio raised an eyebrow "Isn't she a part of the Quinx Squad?"

  
"She's currently on a sick leave" Yusa replied while picking sweaters and scarfs for both of them "Here. Wear this"

  
Thankfully the rest of the squad were still asleep so sneaking them out would be easy. As the trio goes out of the Chateau, the sun is rising and the wind blows on them. "A lot has changed isn't it?" Shio remarked while looking at the surroundings

  
"Yeah" Rikai agreed "So this is what happened while we were gone"

  
"This way" Yusa turned left. They finally reached the hospital where Hsiao is confined.

  
"Uh Yusa what is that for?" Shio asked

  
"A logbook. If you want to visit someone in the hospital you will need to write your name in here and sign it"

  
"Is it really needed?"

  
"Yeah..."

  
"Okay" Shio smiled and takes the pen from Yusa's hand. He writes his name and... "Wait how old am I?"

  
"20" Yusa replied

  
"Thanks" Shio continues filling out the other pieces. "Rikai it's your turn"

  
"Okay" Rikai takes the pen and fills out the form. "Finished"

  
"Follow me" Yusa walks on. They took the elevator and goes to the third floor and turns left "There she is"

  
"Um why don't you enter first?" Shio suggested

  
"Alright" Yusa agreed. He opened the door and looks at the flowers in the vases. Some of them are dead so he decided to take the ones out. He could hear the door being opened slowly "Relax. She's still asleep. Just be quiet"

  
"Okay" Shio and Rikai nervously replied before sitting on the chairs. "What happened to her? Why is she confined here?" Shio asked

  
"... The Quinx surgery didn't halt the accelerated aging"

  
"What? Ooops" Shio covered his mouth

  
"Who's... there?" Hsiao slowly opened her eyes "Yusa... you visited again"

  
"Yeah... there's someone you need to see"

  
"Who?"

  
"Them" Yusa smiled

  
"Them?" Hsiao slowly rises up and looks carefully at Shio and Rikai "Wait... Shio? Rikai? Is it really you guys?"

  
"Yeah!" Shio and Rikai hugged her

  
"How are you guys alive? You were... dead!"

  
"It's a long story neesan"

  
"A long story? What do you-"

  
"How sweet. Am I counted in this reunion?" Furuta entered the room out of nowhere, startling the three except Yusa "Oh I see that little Shio and Rikai are alive and well. Well as for you Genie-chan, you don't look so good"

  
"How are you alive?" Hsiao activated her kakugan "You bastard! It's because of you that Hairu-senpai died!"

  
"That's cold Genie-chan. I was just saving her from rotting"

  
"You think that's reason enough? You should-"

  
"Uhh no no no!" Furuta waved his finger and unleashes his kagune, keeping Shio and Rikai from moving while he steps closer to Hsiao "Look at you... isn't that miserable Genie-chan?" Furuta runs his fingers on her cheeks and reveals the kakugan in both of his eyes "What are you going to do Kishou?" he mocked Yusa "Going to finish what Associate Special Class failed to do? I would love to"

  
"It's not Kishou. It's Yusa"

  
"Oho but you look like him. You even have the same quinque as his" Furuta teased and takes off the glove on his right hand and bites it. "Look carefully Genie-chan" He started pressing his hand against Shio's mouth, sadistically grinning as he watches him struggle "Oh my would you look at him Genie-chan! He's a ghoul just like me! Next is you Rikai!"

  
"Stop... Furuta stop this!" Yusa pleaded

  
"No way! If you want Genie-chan to live longer then she needs to become like us" Furuta shows Yusa his signature smirk as he pressed his hand on Rikai's mouth. "Don't you want to live too? You're gonna end up just like that puppet"

  
"Stop..."

  
"I like that look on your face little Yusa"

  
"Shut up!"

  
"Oho finally getting serious aren't you? You really are an Arima"

  
"You're right..." Yusa smiled before cutting off one of Furuta's arms with Owl "I really am an Arima..."

  
"Interesting!" Furuta backs away a few steps, dropping Shio and Rikai to the floor "Going to kill me then Kishou?"

  
"It's not Kishou! It's Yusa!!!!" Yusa rushed after him, cutting off every kagune that tries to stop him. They chased each other like cat and mouse all the way to the hospital entrance. Furuta kept unleashing his kagune at Yusa while the latter swings his quinque, neatly cutting the kagune. Yusa kept shouting, telling him to stop but Furuta wouldn't listen. He continued chasing him, dodging the kagune strikes unleashed. Finally the chase stopped and both of them are in an alleyway.

  
"What's the matter?" Furuta smirked, his right arm fully regenerated "Can't even come closer to me successor? You are a shame to the Arima name"

  
"Why are you doing this?"

  
"Oho you even got the nerve to ask me that. You're not even like him. No matter, despite being the great White Reaper that puppet is still a failure unlike me who has achieved perfection!"

  
"Furuta!!"

  
"Getting angry huh? Finally going to kill me?! Come on finish what Associate Special Class failed to do! Kill- AACK!!" Out of nowhere a large kagune appeared, piercing Furuta's stomach and dropping him to the floor.

  
"?!"

  
"You fucking prick! Don't insult Arima-san like that!!"

  
"That voice... Hairu..." Yusa's eyes widened

  
"That's a cowardly move Ihei" Furuta stood up, the hole in his stomach closing immediately and his tattered jacket being restored "Why don't we settle our dispute then, pink airhead!"

  
"Shut up! No wonder Rize didn't thank you even after you helped her escape the Garden" Hairu blurted

  
"Oh really?! Did you think exterminating a lot of ghouls will make the puppet praise and fuck you? You're so hopeless"

  
"Damn you!!" Hairu charged towards him, her bikaku kagune clashing with his rinkaku "You rotten bastard!!" For a while she overpowered Furuta, piercing his body and cutting off the kagunes until suddenly Furuta unleashed his  
kakuja

  
"What's the matter Ihei?" Furuta sneered as he began to turn the tables "Arima didn't praise you and neither will I"

  
"I do not need your praise! You rotten- AACKK!!"

  
"Saying something Ihei? I can't here you!" Furuta started bashing her head against the wall, blood spattering on his clothes and face "I could eat you right now but I have other plans for you so that will have to wait!" To annoy her further he decided to lick her neck "I wonder what Bowl Cut is going to say if he learns that you became a ghoul" Furuta whispered to her ear, making sure his breath tickles her.

  
"You-"

  
"Be quiet or I'll fuck you in front of the man who loves you!" Furuta bashed her head again before turning to Yusa. "Now what little Yusa? Still going to fight me?" Yusa is now tired of Furuta's mocking and smirking. Without saying anything he slashed his mouth and impales Owl into his abdomen "That hurts little Yusa!!"

  
Yusa removes Owl from Furuta's abdomen and starts slahing him. The quinque was sharp, light, and was able to wound him but that was not enough. The incisions inflicted by Yusa upon Furuta's body started to heal too quickly. He backs away a few meters and Furuta started attacking him. Furuta was fast and it leaves Yusa on the defensive, cutting off the kagunes. He opts to use firing mode but Furuta lunged at him. Thankfully he was able to slash off his legs and stabs one of Furuta's eyes, piercing through the skull and damaging a part of his brain.

  
"It... fucking HURTS!!!" Furuta screamed like a pychotic berserker "Looks like I underestimated you little Yusa. I think I should have killed you last- AACK!" Suddenly someone interuptted him again

  
"Oi Washuu! Will you just shut up and fight?" Eto appeared in her kakuja form, stepping over Furuta's body "It is time to pay your debt to me Washuu!"

  
"Hahahahahaha... Do I have a debt to you Takatsuki-san? Oh yes I killed Shiono and forced you to eat him right? Did he taste good?" Despite the pain in his eye from getting stabbed by Yusa and Eto stepping over his body, breaking his bones, Furuta managed to laugh and rub some salt on Eto. "Ow! That hurts! Will you ease up Takatsuki-san? Maybe we can talk about this. Little Yusa impaled my eye with that damn quinque and it fucking hurts!"

  
"That's very much like Kishou" Eto smirked at Yusa "And that serves you right Washuu!"

  
"Serves me right? Really? OW!!!! Who the fuck is stepping on my head?!"

  
"That's what you get for insulting Arima-san you jerk!" Hairu shouted

  
"Oho! I wonder what Bowl Cut is going to say if he learns that you are fantasizing about Arima" 

  
Hairu finally lost her nerve and started stomping Furuta's head "You sick, fucking, rotten bastard!! Why were you even born? You're not even as strong as Arima-san!!!! You are weak, a coward!! You are just obssessed with Rize!!!!" Curses blurted out from her mouth as she kept stomping on his head while Eto smiled and watched in sadistic delight. To Furuta most of them didn't hurt but the last one felt like rubbing salt to an open wound.

  
"What do you know of it airhead? A bitch like you should know her-" Before Furuta could continue what he was going to say, Yusa injected a Rc suppressant to the crook of his neck, weakening and sedating him.

  
"Why didn't you finish him off?" Hairu crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow towards the young Arima

  
"I still have a lot of questions for him" Yusa looks at Hairu and Eto before taking out his phone and contacting the TSC. "Both of you should leave now. Suzuya squad and the Quinx Squad are on their way here"

  
"Are you worried about me Yusa-kun?"

  
"Both of you should really-"

  
Eto pulls Yusa by his coat and shuts his mouth with her lips. His taste, smell, and appearance tempts a very large part of her to leave a permanent mark on him, indicating that he is hers. Slowly she pulls his scarf away from his neck while one hand brushes his cheek. "Did that calm you down?" Eto placed a finger on his lips. _(One day Yusa-kun... One day...)_ In her mind she already marked him a lot of times, if Hairu wasn't with them in the alleyway then she would be able to do what she wants with him, starting from his neck but that will have to wait. At the very least she was able to take his scarf, the scent coming from it would do for a while and hopefully he doesn't realize she took it.

  
"..." _(This is the fourth time)_

  
"Looks like. Bye Yusa-kun" Eto left the alleyway, cackling maniacally. Yusa's scent intoxicates her to the point that she wraps his scarf around her neck "Yusa-kun, you are mine!" In the past 6 years she wanted him and she's just a few steps away. The moment she kissed him after their date he tasted so good Eto can't help herself but to steal another one and even go so far to bite his lower lip. "One day... you'll be mine!" Eto licked her lips.

\--

  
"Yusa? Yusa!" Hairu waved her hands in front of the young Arima "Damn this kid!" Hairu resorts to flicking his forehead, snapping him back to reality "Koori-senpai... How is he faring?"

  
"He's... doing fine..."

  
"I see" Hairu turns her back on him "You're right... I want to see him again but... I think it's better if he doesn't see me again. Even just by looking at him from a distance, it makes me happy"

  
"What about Shio and Rikai? Are you going to leave them? I left them at the hospital where Hsiao is confined"

  
"They're alive? I'm glad. Will you please look after Ching-Li for me? Maybe I should pay her a visit, one last time"

  
"If you are going to take Shio and Rikai with you, where are you guys going to live?"

  
"I don't know... But I'll teach those two how to adapt to ghoul life. Don't you worry about us and take care of Ching-Li, alright?"

  
"Yes... Hairu"

  
"Bye Yusa" Hairu left him. Her beloved senpai despite being a strict partner, Hairu wants to see him again. But a lot has changed. She came back to life thanks to the Dragon's Toxin and became a ghoul, the one thing she enjoyed killing so she would get Arima's praise, to prove that she is human, one thing she knew she had in common with Ui, and she became something she always despised, a ghoul. Observing Ui from afar is enough to make her happy. Hairu wanted to eat melon buns with him again but this time it will be impossible. 

  
Thanks to becoming a ghoul the food she liked to eat the most now tastes horrible. The sweet taste of the melon bun now replaced with something that will make her vomit in an instant the moment it hits her tongue. Despite the coarse texture of the Dragon Orphans, one is enough to keep her sustained for a month. Sometimes she would eat the leftover parts of the bastard children killed by peacekeepers just to keep her from starving and killing humans. She sneaks in through the hospital's fire exit, her physical capabilities as a demi-human now enhanced by the toxin, enabling her to jump really high. One by one she checked the rooms, searching for Hsiao until she unexpectedly ran into Shio and Rikai.

  
"Hairu?" Shio blinked his eyes "Hairu! It's really you!"

  
"Shio!" Hairu giggled "Where is Ching-Li?" 

  
"We just came out" Rikai replied "Come. I'll show you the room"

  
"Thank you" Hairu gave her a sad smile _(This will be the first and last visit I'm going to give you Ching-Li. Also both of you, Shio and Rikai, I'm going to help you both in adapting to ghoul life)_

  
"Wait a minute! Where is Yusa? He didn't came back . I wonder what happened between him and Furuta"

  
"Furuta is going to be taken to the CCG" Hairu replied "Also, how is Ching-Li doing?"

  
"She's doing fine though she's a bit thinner than what she looks like" Rikai replied

  
"I see. Thank you Shio, Rikai." Hairu smiles at them before entering the room. Hsiao is fast asleep in her bed. Hairu sits on a chair beside the hospital bed and observes her. She caressed her hair and cheeks, wondering if Hsiao is doing really fine "You have gotten thin Ching-Li. You should eat more" Hairu whispered.

  
Hsiao slowly opened her eyes, hearing a familiar voice. The person she idolized, her senpai, her big sister was finally here... alive? The last thing she remembered was that Hairu died in the Tsukiyama Operation and now she's here but not smiling. "Hairu-neesan" she muttered "You're alive too? Shio, Rikai, and Furuta... But how? Hairu-neesan? Wait! Where are you going?" Hsiao hurriedly stood up and catches one of Hairu's arms

  
"I have to go Ching-Li. I can't remain here for too long"

  
"Why? I have so much to tell you. So much"

  
"I'm sorry Ching-Li" Hairu turned around and hugs her, patting Hsiao's back and knocks her out. She places her on the bed and puts on the blanket, looking one last time to the person who idolized her "I'm really sorry Ching-Li" Hairu caressed her hair "I want to stay with you for a little longer but..." tears started to flow from her eyes "This will be the last... Goodbye Ching-Li" Hairu kissed her forehead before going out of the room. Shio and Rikai saw all that happened inside and she stared at both of them for a moment.

  
"Hairu? Is everything all right?" Shio asked her

  
"Are you guys going to come with me?" Hairu asked them

  
"What do you mean?"

  
"Both of you... including me-"

  
"We know" Rikai interrupted her "Can you give us time? We will need to say our goodbyes to Yusa first, maybe see Take one last time"

  
"Fine" Hairu agreed

  
"Let's go Shio. Shio?"

  
"Do we really need to leave?"

  
"Yes. We can't be a burden to them" Rikai replied, a pang of guilt hitting her.

  
"Alright" Shio reluctantly agreed "But will we see them again?"

  
"I don't know. Maybe we can visit them once in a while" Hairu pats Shio's head. "Go now. Say your goodbyes" Leaving them is a hard choice but they have to. As the big sister, Hairu would need to teach the two on how to adjust to ghoul life. She could've chosen to go back to the TSC but she doesn't know how the other investigators would react once they see her, especially her beloved senpai Koori Ui once he learns that she became a ghoul. She goes inside the room again and takes Hsiao's diary and a pen near it on a desk beside the bed. Hairu hoped it wouldn't come to this but what's done is done, all that is left to do is write a letter on Hsiao's diary, explaining why she had to do it.

  
After writing, she looks at her one last time and kisses her forehead "I'm sorry Ching-Li" Hairu caressed Hsiao's hair "But I'm proud of you, you don't know how much I'm proud of you. Oneesan is going to leave now. I hope you see the letter and understand why I have to do this." As soon as Hairu got out of the room she ran towards the comfort room. She cried, the thought of leaving Hsiao is overwhelming aside from telling Yusa to take care of her. There's no turning back now. Hairu left the hospital, walking briskly on the way to the TSC headquarters hoping to catch a glimpse of Ui one last time. 


	10. Reunion Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! With a new chapter after 2 months!  
> Also read the notes at the end.

"Where... am I?" Furuta slowly opened his eyes "Ow! Damn you little Yusa my eye hurts like fucking hell!" The next thing he saw is his hands cuffed, including his feet "What the hell? They really think these would stop me!" Furuta thrashes around, trying to break the cuffs with his strength "So little reaper injected a Rc suppressant to me, this would really take a while. Aaaahhh goddamn it!!!" he shouted while looking at the camera "You guys should have at least left a Gintama manga at this goddamn table!! You hear me! Ugh this is so freaking boring! I don't even remember when was the last time I read"

\--

"Hmmm I guess my next class would be later this afternoon" Ui checks his class schedule "Time for a smoke then, maybe some coffee and melon buns." Suddenly on his way to go out and buy snacks he accidentally bumped into someone "I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

  
"Yeah"

  
"Wait... That voice... Wait!" Ui chased the person he bumped into, the voice was familliar. "Wait!" Ui kept running, despite smoking a lot his stamina didn't even falter by an inch. "I just want to talk. I think I know you!"

  
The person stopped and faces him "No... You don't know me. I'm just a passerby"

  
Without thinking carefully Ui ran forward, taking off the hood of the jacket and tackling the person to the ground, not even thinking if this person was a ghoul or is hiding a lethal weapon. To his surprise his suspicions were true. The person he bumped into was someone he really knew, the person who he always cared about, who he always treated to melon buns, the partner he lost, the partner who he always had feelings for but never got the chance to confess.

"Hairu... you're alive? But... how?" Ui shook his head and blinks his eyes "Impossible! The Hairu I know died at the Tsukiyama Operation! How could you use her face!"

  
"Koori-senpai it's me" Hairu pleaded "Please believe me"

  
"You think I'm going to believe that! Get out of here before I change my mind and cut you up to shreds!"

  
Hairu fumbles into the pockets of her jacket and takes out something that will confirm that she really is Hairu "Will you believe me now? Do you think I do not know what brand of cigarettes you smoke?"

  
"A Hope cigarette brand! It really is you!" Ui hugged her tightly "But how?"

  
"It's a long story Koori-senpai"

\--

"Die!Die!Die!Die!Die!Die!Die!Die!Die!Die!Die! Fuck this is so boring!!" Furuta bit his lip out of boredom

  
"I see you're finally awake, you illegitimate child"

  
"My my if it isn't my gay nephew"

  
"You bastard!" Matsuri slammed the door "Take back what you said! How dare you kill grandfather and the other Washuu clan members! You're so rotten 'dear uncle'! You even ordered V to eliminate me"

  
"The world doesn't need a weakling like you. Besides, that rotten geezer didn't even consider to make you the successor. He chose his illegitimate son over his pure-blooded grandson. How miserable. Yoshitoki would also feel the same" Furuta decided to rub a large amount of salt to Matsuri, showing his signature smirk "What's the matter my gay nephew? Getting angry? Poor Iyo. She loved you with her whole heart but you didn't loved her back, such a waste"

  
"Shut up!"

  
"Tut tut tut! Should I tell everyone your dirty little secret? Should I tell them how much you wanted to fuck Urie?" Furuta spoke no louder than a whisper, smirking victoriously as he saw his nephew's cheeks burn red while the eyebrows furrow.

  
"Souta Washuu-Furuta!!!!!"

  
"I wonder why Iyo fell in love with an ugly person like you"

  
"I'm gonna kill you with these-"

  
"Enough!" Marude entered the room, followed by Kaneki, Tsukiyama, Juuzou, and Ayato.

  
"How is this possible?" Kaneki's eyes widened "I was sure my kagune struck you. You were on the verge of death before I left you to kill Rize"

  
"You did but you see Associate Special Class as I was about to die the Dragon's Toxin suddenly revived me and here I am now"

  
"It's former Furuta"

  
"No! You'll always be Associate Special Class to me! You have a beautiful daughter, might as well turn her into the Dragon and fulfill the puppet's prediction"

  
"You wouldn't dare!!" Kaneki, Tsukiyama and Ayato glared at Furuta, kagunes sprouting out

"Oh no! I'm scared" Furuta teased them, smiling like a child which annoyed everyone inside the room, especially Ayato and Matsuri.

_Damn this Rc suppressant! It takes too long to wear off! I guess I have no choice but to play low._

"Puppet? Who are you referring to?" Marude raised an eyebrow

  
"Who else?"

  
"Don't insult Arima-san"

  
"Even after you killed him you still adore him like a god Associate Special Class! How cute! You are just a monster like him. You killed a hundred children so that brat of yours could live"

  
"Weren't you the one who used the Oggai in the first place? I only did what I have to" Kaneki countered

  
"You also have a debt to me" Tsukiyama followed "Matsumae... you killed her"

  
"Why? I was just doing my job back then."

  
"You bitch!"

  
"Fine fine. Why look at you Juuzou. The new Arima is following Marude around obeying orders like a robot. You really are the best candidate to be the puppet's successor. Did you really think you can earn good boy points if you kill everything Marude points out? You're not even an adult. You're just a child!"

  
"I did this on my own free will" Juuzou countered "Furthermore I would want you as my quinque"

  
"Ugh! That's not going to happen. Besides if little Yusa didn't injected me with those goddamn Rc suppressants you would become the prosthetic reaper before you could even manage to land a scratch on me"

  
"You still got some nerve saying that despite being inside the interrogation room"

  
"Care to test that assertion Special Class Suzuya?"

  
"Yeah. I can't wait to see what you would turn out as my quinque"

  
"Enough!" Marude shouted, massaging his temples "Good grief! Squabbling like children!"

  
"As for you Mr. Grenade Launcher, you look old!"

  
"I think we should just go back tomorrow. I can't stand this brat's insults" One by one they left the room

  
"And they left... Without even leaving me something to read goddamn it!" Furuta shouted

\--

"That illegitimate bratty uncle of mine" Matsuri gritted his teeth, clenched fists about to punch the door "He's even asking for something to read... Oh I think I have something to give to him" An idea formed in his mind, something that will annoy his bratty uncle. But first he need to find Yusa and ask him what does Furuta like to read. They ran into each other on the way to his office "Great! I was just on my way to find you"

  
"Is there something you need?" the young Arima asked the older Washuu

  
"Yeah. What does Furuta like to read?"

  
"Hmmm... He likes reading Gintama"

  
"I see... Do you also need something?"

  
"Nothing" Yusa left Matsuri

  
"So he likes Gintama... maybe I should give him something that will annoy him a lot. That is also revenge for calling me gay" Matsuri scratches his facial hair before going out of the TSC. He goes to every manga store he could find, looking at mangas that will annoy Furuta. He goes back to the TSC holding a package containing all the manga that will annoy his uncle. Matsuri takes out a pen and writes something on the package, the pure-blooded Washuu snickering and grinning sinisterly as he finished writing. He tells one of the wardens in the interrogation room to give the package to Furuta saying it is a gift from him.

\--

"A package? From whom?" Furuta asked the warden

  
"A gift from Matsuri. He says you're going to like it a lot" the warden replied before leaving.

  
"Something that I will like... Must be a Gintama manga!" Furuta's eyes widened, his hands tearing off the package. "What the FUCK?!" Furuta shouted the moment he saw the books inside the package " **That ugly bastard**... Fuck I'm not reading these pieces of shit!"

\--

"Will you tell me about it?" 

  
"Koori-senpai..."

  
"Hairu... Please, I'll listen" Ui pleaded. Taking out his phone he checks the time he still has left before going to teach. It doesn't matter if he arrives late, the person he cherished the most is now in front of him. 6 long years Ui yearned to see her again and now he's not going to waste this chance, even considering to cancel the class just to listen to her stories. "I'll listen" Ui followed up again

_You don't know how much I missed you._

  
"Ugh! I guess I have no choice. Koori-senpai..." Hairu slowly reaches her hand to Ui and as soon as his hand touches hers she grips it hard and starts running.

  
"H-Hairu! S-Slow down!" Ui complained as Hairu dragged him

  
"Did your lungs weaken from too much smoking? Good grief Koori-senpai you should value your health more"

  
"I can't help it! It helped me a lot when I'm stressed, what am I supposed to do?" Ui complained. Suddenly Hairu stopped running and stares at him for a moment which makes him nervous "Is something wrong? Hairu?" Ui waved his hands in front of her. In the blink of an eye Ui found himself being carried by Hairu "Let me go! I can keep up with you!"

  
"Just shut up and let princess charming carry you" Hairu teased him as she started jumping around, using her bikaku kagune to help her reach floors without anyone noticing. Thankfully they were able to find a place where there is no one but just the two of them. "It's just the two of us here" Hairu turned to Ui who suddenly fell asleep in the middle of her jumps. She sits down, slowly laying his head on her lap. Hairu brushed his hair then her hands go to his cheeks, thumb slowly running from the jaw to the lips.

"You said you would listen to my story but you fell asleep instead" Hairu whispered, thumb brushing on his chapped lips.

\--

Hsiao wakes up to see a note in her diary. Opening the letter, it sends her into silence while reading it.

'Dear Hsiao,

I'm sorry if I knocked you out earlier, but we have to leave. The Dragon's Toxin brought us back to life, but we don't belong

to the world of the living anymore. Despite the toxin curing our imbalances in the bodies, the CCG would see us as a threat.

But always remember that we love you. Promise to stay safe.

\- Hairu

"Big Sis... Why?" Hsiao crumpled the letter. She felt so sad, couldn't even understand why this has to happen.

 _Why... why? Just when we are reunited, why does this keep happening?_ Hsiao takes a pillow and hugs it tightly as she started to cry. Her chest aches, breath getting faster, heatbeats are getting irregular. She didn't even had her chance to tell her all her experiences. It hurts her to the core. She heard someone opening the door but she ignored it.

"Hsiao..." Yusa walked slowly to her. "Is everything all right?"

"... Leave me alone" Hsiao mumbled behind her pillow

"Big Sis?"

"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!!" Hsiao shouted, glaring at Yusa, making him flinch and fall to the floor.

"All right" Yusa simply replied. On the floor he saw a crumpled piece of paper. Yusa decided to pick it up and hide it in one of his pockets. "I'm sorry. I'll leave you then." Yusa stood up, whispering coldly before gently closing the door.

Realization quickly hits Hsiao. Unbeknownst to Yusa she heard his cold whispers because of her heightened hearing due to the Quinx surgery. It hits her hard enough to make her think of things. She felt guilty for shouting at him. She didn't mean it. Hsiao stood up and walks in a hurry, reaching for the door. She opens it only to see that the young Arima is already gone. Did she accidentally created a rift between them?

_What have I done?_

Teaser for the next chapter...

"Who are you?! Why are you two fighting?"

"So you finally came. I am you"

"?!" _My ghoul and human sides_

"What's the matter Yusa? Who will you choose between the two of us? You wanted to learn about the outside world, you wanted to live! Why would you hesitate? Accept me!"

"Don't listen to him! I won out when you were born! Please choose me, not him"

_What's happening? I know they are telling me something... but I don't understand... Why? I can't hear anything._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know when I will be able to post again.  
> But advanced Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!!!!!  
> I may also update the format of the previous chapters to match with this and the future chapters.  
> Stay safe guys!
> 
> Update:
> 
> Chapter 1 has been remastered (to match the format of Chapter 10)  
> Chapter 2 has been remastered  
> The format of the others will be remastered soon don't worry.


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